


Worse Than Death

by Hecallsmehischild



Series: Thicker Than Water [2]
Category: Arthurian Mythology, Ghost - Mystery Skulls (Music Video), Mystery Skulls (Band)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 09:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 43,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5492738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hecallsmehischild/pseuds/Hecallsmehischild
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thicker Than Water tale #2. For all the times she's berated Arthur, it would shock him to know the dark secret Vivi carries. The mark of it has now seared her hand, and it's only a matter of time before her debt is called into repayment, and her lineage duties fulfilled.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ticking Away

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, establishing a few things. YES. This is a sequel to Best Served Cold. NO. The characters are not mine, they are MysteryBen and Artsy's. For this story, YES that is the only time I will make that disclaimer. Also, YES I am diving into a mythology I am not an expert in, so those of you who are expert in this mythology, I crave your indulgence, I am only trying to make an entertaining story, you most likely are correct and know more than I do. NO I will not be updating this every day, this one will be coming out slower due to other projects I will be trying to work on. Also MY THANKS TO THIS PERSON solitaria-fantasma on Tumblr who let me bounce my ideas off them. Check out their blog! With that out of the way… enjoy.

"Vivi dear, are you home?" The front door to her apartment swung open, the lock undone. "I was hoping to see you! I was in town and I thought I'd pop by."

Vivi sat at the breakfast counter, turning old, weathered pages of a timeworn book. She didn't raise her head or respond.

"I just wanted to check on you, see how you are doing. How are your friends nowadays? I hear Arthur's doing a bit better, wonderful job you did, how is the boy?"

Her eyes remained fixed on the book, one hand slowly raising a page to turn it.

"The time draws near."

The page Vivi held quivered as she turned it slowly. "Not if I have any say in it." She finally responded. "I never asked to be part of this, you'll have to do a lot more than talk to make this happen, because I'm not interested."

"The time has long passed, dear. I only say it draws near out of courtesy."

"So you keep saying." She scanned the following page for useful information, but none presented itself. None had ever presented itself, she couldn't read the words. She had been able to read only one page, and that quite recently at terrible cost. How could she learn when even the author's name was indecipherable? She couldn't research a book she didn't understand. But it might hold a key to helping her.

Arthur couldn't help her, indeed it would be Arthur who might need help should this call upon her come to pass. There was only so much Lewis could do, dead as he was. Of all of them, Mystery might be able to discern the truth. After all, he had been there… but…

"You fear their rejection, rightfully so. The light ever scorns the dark."

"I'm not the dark." She replied forcefully. "I'm not my ancestress."

"Continue to reject me, child, and such suffering will fall on you that you will wish you were dead."

"I never accepted you, and I never will." Her words hissed through her teeth. "Go find someone else to be your half-wit puppet. I have my own life."

"Perhaps you can abide suffering, but how much more will you see your mother endure?"

Vivi's jaw tightened. "She made her choice, and it was the wrong one. If she could speak to me, I know she would warn me away from this. You already have a body, you don't need me."

"They go so fast, you know. You would understand if you dared raise your head."

Bracing herself, Vivi lifted her head, and stifled a gasp. Her mother had aged at least thirty years since she had last seen her at high school graduation. Her hair was no longer a deep indigo, but a faded powder blue, like the color itself had been leached from it. Lines, not born of laughter but of suffering, crisscrossed the woman's face repeatedly. Her body stooped over, hunched painfully at the back so far that she had to crook her neck up to see her daughter. Her lips sucked in, hinting at a lack of teeth, and the ever-black eyes bored into Vivi's own with patient cunning.

"She's only forty you fish-fingered monstrosity!" Vivi shouted, banging her fist on the table. "What are you doing to her?"

"Me? Why nothing, darling." The woman answered mildly. "The real question is, what are _you_ doing to her? You failed to take on the responsibilities of your line at the appointed time. If this is anyone's doing, it is yours. On top of that, you just indebted yourself to me."

Vivi's fingers curled protectively around the palm of her hand, the freshly burned imprint in her skin still smarting after a week of aloe vera treatments.

Her mother's fingers crooked as if pulling on strings. "The cords tighten, dear. You can only resist for so long. I will catch you off guard in my own time if you do not submit yourself."

Vivi's knuckles whitened as she gripped the edge of the breakfast counter. "Get out." Her voice was low. "Get out now. I don't want to ever see you again. I know what you want, and I will not let it happen. You come near me again, and I will tell Mystery, and he'll be able to take care of you."

The woman laughed scornfully. "Little seven-tails? Please Vivi." She turned, slowly waddling out the door. "If your hope hangs on him, you are sadly misled. He cannot outmatch me. Speak my name and watch him quail. When you are ready, call me. I will be waiting."

The door swung shut, and Vivi stood there, staring at the closed door. She clutched at the chain hidden under her shirt with one hand, sinking back onto the stool and fumbling for the book with the other. "There has to be something here," she muttered, flipping through the pages again. "Anything…"

Her phone chirped, and she shut the book. Returning to her room, she reached into her shirt and pulled out the pendant, a small flame shape. She held it up, pressing it into a matching indentation in an old cabinet. The doors swung open, revealing a small set of shelves, lined with fragile-looking books. The smell of decades washed out of the cabinet as she replaced the tome and closed the doors, pressing the pendant again to the wood. She pulled on a pair of fingerless gloves to cover the mark on her palm.

Turning, she headed for the door. It had been a week, and she hadn't seen Arthur or Lewis. Dear Lewis…

A Christmas feast. That's what was needed. A Christmas dinner of epic proportions to pull them all out of this slump. They'd figure out how to move on together. As long as she wore her pendant, there wasn't a problem. No need to discuss the details. She hadn't removed it once since it was given to her, and it could easily stay that way. The chain was strong, not prone to breaking. She would be safe, and nobody had to know.


	2. Dinner Preparations

Vivi checked the ham in Arthur's oven. It would still be awhile before it would be ready, but it was already starting to eke honey-glazed smells all over the kitchen. Perfect. And the pan of stuffing just under the ham was catching the drippings. She checked the cranberry sauce on the top of the stove, tasting a spoonful. Not enough sugar. She grabbed the sugar scoop and dumped a liberal helping into the saucepot. The pie would have to wait until the ham was out, but that would be a quick bake, and would be finished by the time they'd eaten.

She turned to wipe her hands on the dishtowel and paused. Mystery's nose poked into the kitchen, hanging there patiently. "Hey Mystery, come on in… if you can?" She peered out at him. His body was curled starting in the living room, winding through the dining room, and ending in the Kitchen. At her invitation, he poked the rest of his head into the kitchen.

"I was hoping we could speak, Vivi."

She swallowed, then turned back to the sauce, pretending to check it. "Sure Mystery." She forced a note of cheer into her voice. "Where are the guys?"

"They retreated to Arthur's workshop. Lewis was a bit overcome at the smell of your cooking, and they both left their gift wrapping to the last moment. Again."

Vivi couldn't help a small laugh. "Those are my boys. Do you think Lewis is going to try and fix Arthur's wrapping again?"

"Undoubtedly. I expect we'll have to break up the ensuing rubber band war."

"Ah well, we'll let them have their fun for awhile. Food's still got awhile to cook." She checked the ham again. "You might have to shrink down for dinner, I don't think there's enough to feed you at that size."

"Vivi."

His tone had shifted, and she immediately began babbling. "You'll have to tell me some stories sometime. The way Arthur framed it, you and King Arthur were like, best friends. I'd love to hear about it. Did you ever have to fight off anyone attacking him?" She stirred the sauce again.

"Vivi."

"I bet they went running when they saw you. It's pretty amazing you still want to stick around. It's not like Stockholm syndrome is it? You've been captive so long you sympathize or something?"

"Vivi… you're cycling through checking the food every two seconds, and your mouth is moving but you're not saying anything."

She paused, the spoon in her hand.

"Filling the silence with words won't stop this conversation. Vivi, what was that book you had?"

She shrugged. "I have a lot of relics, Mystery. You can't rely only on tech in our business. Sometimes there are more dangerous situations that require higher levels of firepower than tech gives me."

"I would be interested in seeing this book."

Vivi's grip on the spoon tightened. "Sure. Maybe I'll bring it over sometime."

"If you told me where it was, I could get it and be back in a few moments."

"No need." She stirred forcefully, splattering sauce onto the stove. "I'm sure I'll remember to bring it around sometime."

There was a heavy silence, and she could feel herself being measured.

"Vivi," Mystery's voice held a note of warning. "After all the brow-beating you gave Arthur for hiding his troubles, it would be terribly inconsistent if you were hiding something as well."

Fudge. Mystery wasn't going to drop it. She didn't want to alienate him, but it was more important to keep everyone safe. And at this point, that meant ignorant.

Turning to Mystery, she leveled an even stare at him. "Arthur is awfully kind, Mystery, and he's also pretty terrible at lying. When he woke up in the desert and he told us the whole King Arthur shtick, that was amazing. He said it straight out too, like he had no problem talking about it. But when he started talking about you, things got a little dodgy. He looked away, he checked with you, he paused a lot."

"Come out and say it."

"I'm saying, Mystery, obviously there are things you don't want known that Arthur knows. And I'm okay with that. I'm not digging. I'd just appreciate the same courtesy."

Mystery held her gaze evenly. "I see." One ear twitched slightly. "I understand you, then. I will respect your wish for now, as requested. But Vivi?"

"Yes?"

"If your secrets ever endanger Arthur, I will have the truth from you any way I can. Understood?"

Vivi's eyes dropped, and for a moment she wondered if it was possible to dissolve. Her voice came out less steady than she would have preferred as she responded, "Understood. But it will never come to that."

"I hope not, and not only for his sake." She glanced up at this. "Don't be so surprised. I may not have been bound to you and Lewis, but I am rather fond of you both as well."

She swallowed, the smile more genuine this time. "Kinda fond of you too, furball."

Mystery heaved a sigh, rolling his eyes overdramatically. "Still no respect."

"Get used to it." She tilted her head. "Do I hear full-on war from the back?"

"Indeed. Sounds like it has escalated to paper balls. Shall we break it up?"

She shook her head. "Nah, let 'em have their fun and get it out of their system. 'Sides I have the perfect taste testing guinea pig-I mean giant fox-I need right here. Open up."

Mystery blinked, cracking his mouth slightly as Vivi pulled out the stuffing pan and used the sugar scoop to dump some on the tip of Mystery's tongue. "How's that big guy?"

He closed his mouth, rolling it around on his tongue a bit, before forming his mouth into a cheeky grin. "Stockholm syndrome? I think it's obvious I stay for the cooking."

She laughed, bopping his nose affectionately. "Yeah well hold your horses, even better's on the way."


	3. The Calm Before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Borrowed some headcanon from Ectoimp on Tumblr for this chapter, I love this comic they did…

"Dinner! Don't make me come back there and drag you cotton-brained nitwits out by your ears!" Vivi shouted down the hall, as Mystery shrank back down to his smaller size. The hind leg remained huge for a few seconds before folding back down.

"Nice prosthetic," Vivi patted the dog's head. "Squire's getting fancier." She finished setting out plates as Arthur emerged, bickering with himself.

"Your wrapping looks like a train wreck, just let me straighten it out! Why don't you want it to look nice?" One arm continued to grab at a stack piled in the other arm, held just out of reach.

"The paper's gonna get r-ripped in a few minutes, there's no point, just l-let it be! I don't try and fix y-YOUR wrapping."

"That's because my wrapping never needs fixing!"

Arthur shook his head, dislodging several rubber bands from his hair. "L-lew, I swear, I don't know anyone else who takes w-wrapping presents as seriously as you. Just leave mine alone, I've g-got it. It's bad enough you know your presents."

Vivi blinked. "Lewis? Why are you possessing Squire, is he having trouble walking?"

Arthur's head jerked up, his irises glowing a deep purple. "Ah, no. Not at all." They set their presents under the tree and walked over, sheepishly taking a seat at the table, in front of a set of burned-in handprints. "It's just I… he…" He gestured at himself. "Wanted to let me enjoy some of your cooking?"

"Yeah and I'll kick you out if you keep thinking about sneaking over to the tree and und-d-doing my wrapping." His irises turned black again as Arthur spoke, raising an eyebrow. "Don't think I don't see what your plan is."

"Arthur it's a mess!" His arms flailed.

"Cool it you two before I find a way to knock your heads together." Vivi smiled. "Squire, I hope you're hungry enough for two."

"I c-could eat for three, Viv, you know that." Arthur grinned. Vivi was so grateful to see that grin. It was more haggard and worn, and parts of his face still twitched, but it had been far too long since she'd seen her Squire the way he usually was.

Mystery hopped up to one of the seats, yelping as he landed. He whined a little, lifting his prosthetic to ease the pain. Arthur's grin vanished, and he reached over to rub behind Mystery's ears. "I'll g-go get some meds first thing tomorrow bud, promise. Nothing's open today."

The dog nodded, then turned his head toward Vivi expectantly. She grabbed a carving knife and fork, handing them to Arthur. "Why don't you do the honors?" She sat back down as Arthur began sawing away at the ham. Occasionally his irises would glow purple as Lewis helped steady a tremor. Thick slices began landing on Vivi's plate, Mystery's and his own. Vivi scooped out generous portions of cranberry sauce and stuffing.

Arthur sat down and began plowing into his food with gusto, his eyes flickering back and forth so fast it was hard to tell who was eating at any given moment. Vivi cut into her ham, the meat parting easily under the knife, and took a bite. _Just right._ She felt warm inside. It gave her a sense of pride that she could do this for the gang. There were plenty of other things she did on their stakeouts and busts, but this was the thing that pulled them back together after hard times or rough experiences. It always had been. And that felt good.

Her palm burned under the gloves and she stiffened. Excusing herself for a moment, she stood, walking to the living room. Arthur had gotten his window fixed, and she peered through.

In the middle of the street, a hunched-over figure stood, staring at her with a toothless smirk.

Shuddering, she closed the blinds, checking the locks before returning to her seat. "So," She scooped up a spoonful of sauce, drizzling it over the ham. "Thought this would be a good time to figure out what we're going to do about this whole situation, since it is a pretty weird one. We'll have to have some kind of plan."

Arthur lifted his face from his plate, as one hand swiped a napkin across his mouth. "Now?" He asked plaintively. "There's more ham." Mystery licked his plate, barking a short agreement.

Vivi rolled her eyes, passing out second helpings. She could wait. She'd made them wait a week, she could let them enjoy the meal.

She studied Arthur carefully. It wasn't just his eyes that changed, at times his hair seemed to flicker like flames with a soft glow.

_Lewis._

That moment at the doorway, everything in her had melted into warmth and happiness. He'd been leaving her flowers twice a day while keeping a distance as she'd asked, and on seeing her greeted her with mistletoe. She regretted staying away so long. Then she had kissed him, and reality came crashing back in.

He looked human, but he wasn't. Not anymore. She'd pressed her lips to his and felt warm, clean bones and teeth beneath her lips. She'd frozen for a moment, and he had pulled away, apologizing, looking horrified. She'd pulled him back for a second kiss. It was Lewis, her Lewis. She had her Lewis back, and she wasn't about to let go.

The way he had carried her up into the air, floating while she rested in his arms… she blinked at the blurred vision. After what he'd been through in life and death, it shocked her he had any tenderness left for anyone, but she was grateful.

"Viv, you okay?" The double voice startled her out of her reverie as she glanced up.

"Yeah, I'm okay guys." She swiped a sleeve across her eyes. "I'll stick the pie on. Presents and planning, yeah?"

She got up to put the pie in the oven as Arthur scooped Mystery up to save him having to walk and left for the living room. She followed them out, just as Lewis exited Arthur's body. Arthur lay back on the couch. Mystery sat on the floor nearby, and Lewis as on the floor next to the tree, reaching for the messily wrapped packages. There weren't a lot of presents, but then there weren't a lot of them, and not all the presents could be put under the tree.

"Hey!" Vivi called sharply. "I see that, hands off Lew."

Lewis retracted his hand reluctantly.

Arthur waved an arm. "Lew and I already dealt with his presents. If he feels like he wants to enjoy some food, he's more than welcome to join me when I eat. Also, I'm gonna work on getting some of his musical pieces out to artists, see if we can generate some income for him if he wants anything. And s-since he can keep making music, I mean…" He shrugged. "Think it'll w-work?"

Vivi nodded, settling down next to Lewis and threading her fingers through his. "Sounds good. I'm sure those flowers weren't free." Lewis tugged at his collar lightly.

Vivi pulled a package from under the tree. "I've got one for Mystery." The dog's ears perked as Vivi waved it at him. "Over here." He limped over, grasping the wrapping in his teeth and tearing it back. He sniffed the object curiously.

"It's a massage brush. You might be some big warrior spirit, but I think you'll enjoy this." She pulled him closer and began brushing through his fur. Mystery's eyes rolled back and he sank to the floor, tail thumping happily against the wood.

Lewis lifted a package with great distaste, handing it to Vivi. "This… poorly packaged monstrosity is from Arthur to you."

"J-jerk." Arthur grinned slightly.

Vivi peeled back the wrapping. Inside was a thin chain of little steel links with a clasp at the end.

"It's p-part one, L-lew has part two. But the ch-chain's also a tracker," Arthur explained. "N-not just for you, for me too." He raised his arm. "Just s-say 'Where's Squire?' and it'll give you a projection of m-my coordinates."

"Where's Squire?" She tested. One of the links lit up, shooting out a beam of light. She turned so the light hit the wall, and a pair of coordinates appeared for a few seconds before vanishing.

"Where's Vivi?" He spoke to his arm, and a display glowed on his arm. He nodded. "J-ust in case we have trouble again. Mystery's leg-"

Mystery barked quite loudly all of a sudden, wriggling around under the brush and grinning up. Vivi laughed, and asked, "Mystery what?"

Arthur glanced at the dog for a moment, then shrugged. "Mystery's leg hasn't taken to the tech yet, maybe in a few prototypes."

Lewis handed her a small package wrapped in perfect symmetry and painstakingly topped with a bow. She unwrapped it to find a small silver heart locket.

"It's not mine," Lewis clarified, "But I wanted to give you one too. I don't know what photo you want inside, but when you find one, let me know and I'll put it in."

She slipped the locket onto the chain, fastening it around her neck. "Thanks guys." She smiled. "Mine was kind of the dinner, running a little tight lately, sorry."

"Are you kidding? D-don't apologize. Perfect present as far as we're concerned." Arthur scoffed. Lewis pulled Vivi into his lap, holding her tightly in agreement.

She rested her head on Lewis' shoulder. "So, how are we going to do this?" She mused. "Usually we help ghosts move on but, I'm not particularly anxious to do that this time, and he seems determined to stay." Lewis underscored her statement with a firm nod. "But there are plenty of other teams out there, and if they find out, they might force him to move on. Not everyone gives a rip whether the ghost passes on peacefully or if it leaves in a damaged state from their efforts…"

Arthur yawned sleepily. "I was thinking about that. Lew, how much does it cost you to look human?"

"Twice as much as usual." Lewis admitted. "Recharging means not doing very much, sometimes being completely invisible while regaining strength. I have noticed I recharge some after taking you over though."

Arthur grimaced. "Probably the bleeding soul issue. At least it's going to some good u-use. Well, we should lay out g-ground rules. In private, it'd probably be better for you to be bone-faced. We know who you are, and it's less energy for you. You gotta save that energy for going out, cause you'll n-need to look human." Lewis sighed, relinquishing his human appearance.

"What about other teams?" Vivi reminded him. "They'll pick up on him in no time flat.

"If they do, Lew knows I'm a safe zone." Arthur grinned crookedly. "Even if they wanted to, they can't remove him cause I want him there. If that Spirit couldn't override my decision, I doubt the human race can. And at that point they have to f-face the wrath of Vivi. I don't think they'll bother us more than once if it happens at all."

"So, we just go about business as usual?" Vivi asked hopefully.

"As usual as we can." Lewis squeezed her gently.

Vivi's palm burned as she pressed a kiss against the side of his skull. "That sounds wonderful."


	4. The Talk Continues

Arthur snorted out of a half-sleep, blinking up at the ceiling. Glancing down, he saw Mystery curled up on his chest. The dog was asleep, and emitting a soft glow. He'd often woken to this sight now. He suspected Mystery was doing whatever he could to speed the healing process for his soul.

"Hey Arthur."

Arthur glanced over. Lewis was propped up against the couch, Vivi fast asleep in his arms, mouth open, arms thrown wild. Lewis was carefully folding her arms back.

"Oh man, I fell asleep. She did too, sorry Lew. What time is it?"

He shrugged carefully. "Does it really matter?"

"Guess not." Arthur rubbed Mystery's head, gently enough not to wake him. "You called me?"

"Yeah. Saw you were awake." Lewis was running his hand through Vivi's hair, staring down at her. "I was thinking about a few things this week. I mean, I figured it would be good to give you some time to recover. But I had a question or two. About some of the things I've seen in your mind."

Arthur blinked. "Lew, how can you have any questions? I mean… you saw everything."

"I've seen your strongest memories and your feelings connected to them," Lewis affirmed, "But I'm still confused about something. The one that kept coming up, and you even said it at my grave. How in addition to seeing Vivi and I were together, you felt shut out. Because I didn't talk to you about my family." He tilted his head slightly. "I don't see what that has to do with anything."

Arthur looked back to Mystery, sighing. "Seems s-stupid now. It's just… I saw the way you two would look at each other sometimes. You'd get tense over something, and she'd slip her hand into yours, and I'd see you two look at each other and you'd relax. I knew she knew things I didn't then. And it didn't feel good. I mean… I figured we were best friends. But you never told me… I mean, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure some things out. You've got a temper I never wanted to get on the wrong side of, and you shut down anytime I mentioned…" He glanced sideways at Lewis. "…well…"

"My family." Lewi's voice had an edge to it, and his hair glowed, flickering at the edges.

"Please don't s-set my house on fire, I don't have the ins-surance." Arthur said, only half-joking.

"You're correct in your assumption." Lewis' voice was quiet. "I brought more bruises to show and tell than anything else, but nobody ever did anything about it. More people owed my Dad favors than they cared to clash with, and my Mom knew everyone's secrets. Blackmail kept them in enough cash to get wasted every day." His hair flared with a dark undertone. "Learned to keep my head down. Toughen up. Eventually I couldn't even feel it anymore. My brother couldn't take it though. Killed himself by 10. I was 13 then, and I kinda snapped. I…" He looked down at Vivi. "…maybe part of it was, I didn't want you to be scared of me, Arthur." He chuckled darkly. "Look how well that worked out. It took me ages to tell her…"

Arthur kept silent, afraid to derail Lewis' story.

"I didn't just mean they're dead to me in the figurative sense, Arthur." Lewis finally stated. "My hands are no cleaner than yours, except I actually meant to do it."

Arthur took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly.

"Then I cleaned up, packed up, and ran. At that point, they even had dirt on the police, so they were more than happy to sweep the 'unsolved deaths' under the rug. Nobody bothered to look. I just took myself to another city, another school. Slept under bridges for a few months until I managed to scrounge enough from begging and odd jobs to rent the rattiest place you've ever seen. But it was clean and warm. And I just kept going, working my way into more pay, better jobs. Learning all I could." He fingered his tie lightly. "I couldn't stand looking like a slob. Everyone made fun of me in my ragged clothes. So I got better ones."

"All the time, dressed to the nines." Arthur shook his head. "I wondered about that."

"I saw what those guys were doing to you at school." Lewis' voice held a dangerous timbre. "You called it ruining your science project when you spoke to my grave. That is a generous description."

Arthur averted his eyes. "Yeah. I know. I was used to it though."

"I'm glad I didn't snap that day. I think I would have scared you off."

"Probably. You snapped when you heard they pulled the same crap with Vivi though."

"I saw red, and then they were on the ground crying."

"The bar fight?"

"Same. You're my family, Arthur." His hair settled back into its pompadour shape. "Nobody hurts my family if I can help it."

Arthur blinked, shocked. "F…f…."

"You're stuttering, not me. I know what I said. They wouldn't have cared if I died. They didn't bury me. They wouldn't have thought twice if they'd dropped me from a cliff, on purpose at that." He brushed a stray curl out of Vivi's face, returning her restless arm back again. "This is my family."

Arthur gingerly moved an arm over, resting his hand on Lewis' shoulder. "We've all got stuff we're not proud of, I think."

"Yeah." Lewis turned his head, eyeing Mystery out of the corner of his eye. "I noticed."

Arthur smacked his forehead. Of course. Lewis had been helping him function most of the week, of course he would have seen the conversation with Mystery replaying in his head.

"You trust him Arthur?"

"With my life." Arthur replied without hesitation.

"Good enough for me. We all have stuff we're not proud of." He chuckled lightly as Vivi's arm rolled away again. "Well, maybe not her."

Arthur snickered. "Yeah, the only thing she's got to feel bad about is how many times she's called me names. And maybe not e-even that."

Lewis patiently recalled her arm to her side. "We really need to get some recordings of her going off on you."

"Or you! I can't w-wait to hear the new ones she's got for you." Arthur teased.

"I'm sure she's got plenty." There was a tender warmth in his tone.

"You know I'm happy for you, right Lew?" Arthur asked quietly.

"Yeah. I also know you're still a little jealous."

Arthur looked down, sighing. "Hard not to be. You picked a winner. But she loves you, and I'm okay with that. I just have to sort things out for a bit. Think you can be patient with me doing that?"

"Well since you can't kill me again, I guess so." Lewis paused. "That came out wrong."

"I g-got what you meant."

Lewis turned his head again, his eyes crinkling upward in what Arthur took to be a smile. "I'm glad I'm not trying to kill you anymore."

"M-me too." Arthur grinned, holding out a fist. Lewis bumped his knuckles briefly, before the two lapsed back into silence. Outside, a cloaked figure stood on the sidewalk, her fingers weaving in the air, and a low, gutteral chant coming out of her mouth.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay let's get moving with the plot—oh, you boys want to talk some more, well…ok I guess… fine. *sulks* Oh hey look I found a way to drag that title back again... *cough*


	5. On The Wings of a Nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So JUST SO EVERYONE IS AWARE. I do not do lemons. I don't even come close to lemon. Ever. However I have included PG level, um, shipping feels and hints. Just so you're warned. If you don't like that. And all.

Fire. Cold, blue fire was crawling up her arm from her palm. It licked up her sweater and spread to the rest of her body. It was a burning freeze that deadened her senses, licking at the edges of every good memory and experience, ready to suck them out of her, draining her like a glass of wine and leaving her empty. Empty and waiting to be filled.

She thrashed against the sensation, her limbs moving in slow motion. One hand traveled to the pendant under her sweater, clutching it tightly. Her damnation and salvation at once. It would hold her off for a bit longer, perhaps. But how long? She was already in debt…

She could hear the voice calling her name, like a deathly chant, ensnaring her. "Vivi…. Vivi…"  
"No!" She shouted. "Get away you buck-toothed fleabag, I won't!"

"Vivi!" The voice was louder.

"Get away! Just get away!" She shrieked, clawing at the figure.

"VIVI!"

She jerked awake, her hands caught in a warm, firm grip. A skull peered worriedly down at her. "Vivi wake up!"

"Lew…" She caught her breath, swallowing tears of relief. "Just you."

"Since when do you have nightmares?" Lewis released her wrists, brushing her hair out of her face.

She gave a short laugh. "Eh, everyone has nightmares every now and then, Lew. Guess it was just my turn, yeah?" She stretched a little, curling one arm around him. "Guess I dozed off."

"Dozed off quite a b-bit." Arthur called from the kitchen. "G-good morning."

"Morning? Did I really just fall asleep here?"

"Mhmm." Lewis hugged her tightly. "I don't think anyone minded."

"Especially you, huh?" She grinned, nuzzling his face. "Well I probably gotta get home and shower. Then maybe we can see what's haunting lately, it's been too long since we did a proper bust together."

"You can just shower h-here y'know. Save you coming back later. Plus there's cold leftovers for breakfast!"

"There's some leftover?" She gasped mockingly. "Arthur, are you feeling okay?"

"Sh-shut up." He grinned, poking his head around the corner.

"I could go get you a change of clothes." Lewis offered. At Vivi's smirk, he protested, "N-not that I would be going through your clothes, just getting you a new set."

"Of?" She prodded.

"Skirt, shirt…. Um…" his hair flared in embarrassment. "Um… Other… things you need."

Vivi rolled her eyes. "Fine. That'll work. Squire, any quirks to that shower?"

"Nope, normal shower. Towels on the floor."

"Not anymore." Lewis glared at Arthur. "I hung them up the other day."

"What are you, my m-mother?" Arthur teased.

"Worse. Your roommate."

Vivi laughed, rolling out of Lewis' arms and heading for the bathroom. "I'll be out in a few guys, we can check our blog and twitter for leads. We've probably got a bunch since we've been so busy."

She stepped into the bathroom and sighed, rubbing her eyes. The nightmare wasn't a good sign. Lewis was right, she rarely had them, and never like that. Usually they were about giant spider ladies weaving her cobweb dresses and insisting she step into the oven for a few seconds, or some nonsense she could easily laugh off once she woke.

Peeling off her clothes, she turned on the hot water and stepped in. The pendant lay cold against her chest, alongside her new locket. She bit her lip, resting her forehead against the cool tile as the hot water soaked into her hair and down her body. And she allowed herself the question she dreaded most.

_What if there's nothing I can do about it?_

Her stomach clenched. There had to be something. One of the books had to be translatable. She'd take it to an expert if she had to… but the last one she'd tried had light-fingered at least one tome, possibly more. She couldn't trust them. She could trust Mystery, but talking to Mystery meant opening up to Arthur and Lewis, and none of them had the power to go against… her. The way she'd laughed at the idea of Mystery being able to do anything, like the giant spirit was a fly…

She shuddered. Five years ghost busting, and what did she have to show for it? She didn't have any more answers than the day she started. Her ancestress wasn't interested in moving on peacefully, that had always been clear. And the few demons they'd faced before the mysterious Spirit had been weak, but even they had taxed the team to their limits.

Vivi could remember her mother's trembling fingers clasping the pendant around her neck, eyes full of tears. The apology, muffled by sobs. The broken warning to never lose the pendant, to never take it off, and to never, ever call on _her_ for any reason. A hug so tight it hurt, a kiss to her forehead, a journal pressed into her hands, one hand still holding the clasp of the pendant. Then, she released the necklace.

And then her mother wasn't there anymore. She stood there, stretching widely with a gigantic smile on the face that was still streaked with tears, her eyes lighting on the girl before her. There was nothing different that could be measured. Her eye color was the same, her face was the same. But the eyes had stared at Vivi with a near predatory gaze.

She swallowed hard, scrubbing herself down with soap as she allowed the frightening thought that if, IF, she did not succeed, she had to leave her boys some way of finding out what happened. She couldn't let _her_ hurt them. Arthur especially, she knew he'd be a target.

"Why'd you have to actually be King Arthur's descendant?" She groaned, turning off the shower. "What am I saying, she probably knew. Wouldn't be surprised if that's why she enrolled me in a new school the next day. 'Oh hey Vivi, make sure to get out there and make lots of friends, I'm sure there's a cute boy or two in the class.' " She mocked the voice. She grabbed at a towel past the curtain and wrapped it around herself, then swiped the curtain aside.

Lewis hovered there, just bent over with a small, carefully knotted plastic bag. His head jerked up, and he reeled back, his skull twisting around backwards until she could only see his hair. "I'm not looking I was just dropping off your clothes!" He flailed, backing up against the door, arms extended forward defensively.

She raised an eyebrow, picking up the bag with one hand and peering inside. She could see a neatly wrapped set of clothes, and a second smaller bag.

"Did you seriously double bag my underwear, Lew?" She snorted. "Good grapefruit it's like you've never seen 'em before."

Lewis paused, and his head turned back around, a slightly aghast expression on his face. Her own eyes widened.

"Lew… did you forget some things?"

"I… was a little focused elsewhere…" He dipped his head, abashed. "Maybe I should spend some time revisiting my own memories."

She smiled a little, going up on her tiptoes and kissing where his nose would have been. "You do that. And if you still can't remember, we can talk, cause I sure as flecks remember."

Lewis' eyes crinkled upward, before his eyes dropped slightly. "You're in a towel." He stated, as if he hadn't realized this fact until that moment, before phasing backwards through the door faster than she could blink.

She rolled her eyes, grinning. Poor Lew. Shy at the oddest times. She undid the knot of the first bag and started on the second. It was going to be a fantastic ghost bust, just what she needed to keep herself occupied.


	6. Pomp and LePomfrey

"Hey Squire, check it out. We've got a ton of requests to check out the new psychic in town." Vivi chewed a bite of cold ham thoughtfully. "There's a couple spikes in the 'ghost' hashtags, but the leads look shaky."

Arthur shrugged, slurping some cranberry sauce. "Honestly, it'd be nice to s-start slow. If the psychic agrees, we can run some tests, verify and all that. Probably isn't."

Vivi nodded, collecting the plates. "Okay then. Let's hit the road."

"You guys mind if I, um…" Arthur looked down a little. "Mind waiting a little? I want to see if I can make it down the porch myself."

Lewis shot a worried look at him, but shook his head. "Don't mind. But you and I are on driving duty, so I'll meet you at the bottom, okay?"

Arthur nodded, and Lewis passed through the front door.

Vivi put her hand on his shoulder. "Still hard?"

"Viv, I'm grateful I can stand upright most days." He ran a hand through his hair. "But I'm feeling pretty g-good today. I wanna try. I can't rely on Lew forever, and I don't wanna be a shutin cause of a set of stairs. Take Mystery and meet us in the van?" At Mystery's indignant bark, he revised his statement. "I mean, you and Mystery can meet us in the van." He grinned, ruffling the dog's head. "Obviously n-nobody takes you anywhere you don't wanna go."

Vivi nodded. She glanced at the leash hanging on a nearby doorknob. "Um…"

Arthur waved his hand. "He knows, leash laws. It's all appearances, he's not m-mad."

Vivi grabbed it, clipping it on Mystery's collar before opening the door and walking out, Mystery limping slowly behind. She took her place next to Lewis at the bottom of the steps, waiting.

Arthur came slowly through the door, taking great pains to lock it behind himself, then turning to face the five steps down to ground level. She could see his eyes fixed on the bottom of the steps, then close as if to reset his vision, opening to fix on the first step in front of him. His hands reached out to grip the railing, the knuckles flashing white. He stood at the top, staring at the first step he had to take. The seconds stretched out into minutes, and he hadn't so much as budged.

Vivi ached for Arthur. She wanted to take his hand and walk him down, but it was obvious he wanted to do this for himself.

His foot inched slowly toward the edge, his grip tightening to the point where the prosthetic was splintering the wood railing in its clutch. The foot dropped down to the initial step, and he gave a small cry, as if sure he would pitch the rest of the way down. Vivi glanced at Lewis, who had resumed human appearance. He was staring at Arthur grimly, watching his painfully slow progress with great care. He had probably been privy to this scene already, inside and out, several times.

It took Arthur thirty minutes to descend the stairs, and by the time he reached the bottom, his legs were shaking and he was drenched in sweat. Lewis stepped inside Arthur, and then Arthur's arms came up around himself in a strange sort of hug. "You did good." Lewis said. "You made it. First time you've made it all the way to the bottom. I say we celebrate with pizza on the way back from whatever happens today, yeah?"

Vivi beamed. "Agreed. Now let's head on over to this psychic, see what she's made of."

…..

The shop was absolutely covered in every typical psychic trope the gang could conceive of. Paintings of eyes in the center of a hand, animal skulls, painted feathers, a doorway to the back hung down to the floor with strings of beads, incense burning, and cards strewn haphazardly all about. A small hand-written placard stated prices for various services, all well over the gang's general budget.

Arthur had calmed down on the drive, though he was already tired from the effort of going down the stairs. Lewis had vacated his body on request once they'd parked, he wanted to do as much as he could on his own two feet. Now he leaned heavily on the back of an overstuffed velvet plush chair that looked like it came from an antique dealer's overstock collection, raising an eyebrow so far it almost vanished into his hairline.

"And the tweets say this place is legit?" He snorted derisively.

"Maybe she's theatrical, with a flair for the dramatic." Vivi mumbled, but all the kitschy items were getting to her. For the love of crepes, there was even a giant crystal ball in the center of a carefully draped table, on display like a central piece.

"An injured soul, a ghost, a demon, and a mystery walk into a psychic's shop." The bead curtain parted, revealing a woman dressed in a flowing robe, her head wrapped in brightly colored scarves. "Sounds like the beginning of a terrible joke. Do I hear doubts about Madam LePomfrey's mystical skills?"

"What g-ghost?" Arthur's eyes widened as he stood straight, stepping just slightly in front of Lewis.

"How did you know?" Lewis asked.

"You're all but carrying him," she pointed at Arthur. "Though he seems well in body, he's an injured soul. You cast no shadow, ghost, I would find a way around that if you wish to remain undetected."

Lewis glanced down, aghast, and Vivi smacked her forehead for not realizing it sooner.

"The dog's eyes haven't left the ancient crystal of Sam'ael since he walked in," She continued, leveling a hard stare at Mystery, "And only a few would actually know what it looks like and exactly what to look for. But you needn't worry, its energy is contained for now." Mystery growled slightly, and she turned to Vivi. "And the mystery, the one from whom further clues would have to be extracted to understand. But of course, any intelligent person may deduce as much and merely be called observant, hardly psychic. Welcome to Madame LePomfrey's. I am honored." She made a sweeping bow to the group.

"What shall it be for you?" She asked, gesturing to the placard. "The prices are listed here, do tell what it is you need. Please feel free to set up your equipment, you are well known among the frauds and legitimate practitioners alike, and would not be seeking me for any other reason."

"Observant," Arthur quipped, moving to set up a few gauges.

Vivi scanned over the list. "If we pick a few services, can we get a discount?" She raised an eyebrow. "After all, we are reviewing you. If we give you a good word you might get more business."

"Shrewd, the lady in blue." Madame pursed her lips, thinking. "Pay for one service for each of you, and I will provide a fifth for free. Although your demon friend seems uninterested, so perhaps only three services and the fourth for free." Indeed, Mystery was still staring at the gem, lips drawn back from his teeth.

"I'll take a tea reading." Arthur grinned, taking a seat.

"Crystal ball." Lewis leaned against the chair, opting to stand.

"Palm reading." Vivi's eyes widened. It had slipped out. Well, she could present her other hand, not the burned one.

"Very well." Madame seated herself with a flourish, lighting a low flame under a cracked teapot. She fished a worn, chipped white china cup from under the table, emptying looseleaf tea into it.

"While we wait for the water to warm, we will begin with the crystal ball. Are you seeking your past, your present, or your future?" She raised an eyebrow at Lewis.

"Whichever you prefer." He matched her expression.

She smiled, raising draping sleeves high and passing her hands over the ball several times. "Hmmmm." She pondered, peering into it. "Seems there is trouble with your heart. I would watch over it, a broken heart can be dangerous if left in the wrong hands."

Lewis said nothing, his eyes traveling to Arthur's pocket. Arthur immediately slipped his hand in, assuring himself it was still there.

"No spikes in the meter so far." Lewis said coolly. "A lot of people come to you with broken hearts."

"Indeed they do, and yours has suffered much." She raised her hands, rolling her eyes back in her head. "Torn between two loves, you could not choose and you cast yourself from a cliff in grief. One left, unable to accept your new form. The other was your true love, and she has stayed faithfully by your side since."

Lewis' expression went flat. Vivi could tell he'd already written her off, and she was almost in the same boat. If it hadn't been for that first part…

"Ah, tea." She turned, lifting the teapot and pouring it into the china cup. "For one that is broken. Take advice from an older woman dear. As a mother, not a psychic, herbal tea is good for the nerves."

Arthur blinked, a bit of a smile on his face. "Th-thanks. Maybe I'll give it a try if I like it here."

Madame's eyes held a touch of sadness as she set the teapot aside and stirred with an old silver spoon, slowly. "I do hope it helps, dear."

Oddly, Vivi felt herself warming slightly to the lady. True, she played the part to a tee, but there was a real woman there, and an oddly astute one at that. Anyone could see Arthur had been through a lot, but not everyone would care.

"Now sip it slowly. Focus on an issue that is bothering you, hold it in the forefront of your mind as you sip. Slowly." She handed it to him. "Leave a little tea in the bottom, and mind the loose leaves, try not to drink them."

Arthur took the tea with his robotic arm, drinking slowly as instructed, before setting it down. "Swirl three times with the spoon, and dump it here." She pushed forward a bowl. Arthur did so, and Madame retrieved the bowl, scrutinizing the contents.

"You have a long journey ahead of you, and a terrible choice," She said softly. "It will not be easy, and you will suffer for it. But in the end, if you choose correctly, she will save you. And you will be healed."

"All very vague and gimmicky sounding if you ask me." Lewis stretched, yawning loudly. "Still no spikes."

Vivi kicked at him. "Don't be rude." Arthur was staring at the contents of the bowl, rubbing his metal arm absently.

"It's quite fine dear," Madame waved her arms, slipping back into the role. "It is customary. I am quite used to the mockery of skeptics, and look forward to your terrible review. Now," She reached her hands out to Vivi. "Give me your hands, child."

Vivi peeled the glove off of her good hand, holding it out. "Hurt my other hand, the lines are probably all messed up." She smiled brightly.

Madame nodded and took Vivi's hand in one of her own, lightly tracing the surface with her other hand. As she did, the finger tracing her palm began to falter, and came to a full stop. Then suddenly it began to move again, tracing one pattern over and over, as her mouth moved. "You will live a long life, and you will be quite happy darling. I do believe you have found love, and who can blame you? Ghosts can be quite handsome I hear, although I don't particularly like the glower on his face, doesn't suit him. No children dear, but really that wouldn't have happened anyway, some things transcend death but not that."

Vivi hardly heard what Madame was saying. Everything that was coming out of her mouth was nonsense, but her heart was frozen. The pattern Madame was tracing on her palm matched the burn outline on her opposing hand perfectly.


	7. A Word from the Sister

"I've heard more than enough." Lewis sighed, shaking his head. "Viv, I think we should head off, we can discuss our findings on the way to getting pizza."

Vivi turned her head slightly, forcing a smile. "Well we're spending the money anyway, so I'm gonna stick around for the free service. Meet you guys at the pizza place later?"

Mystery had finally broken eye contact with whatever relic he'd been watching and now stared oddly at her. He took a step toward her, but winced, yelping.

"Besides, you promised Mystery some pain meds." Vivi reminded Arthur.

"Pain medication won't help a creature like him." Madame rose from her seat, turning to rifle through a drawer. She pulled out a small pouch and handed it to Arthur. "Consider it part of your tea reading. Brew this like the tea, and you." She called Mystery to attention sternly. "Drink it. I don't care if you don't like it, it'll ease the pain where the medication won't."

Mystery eyed her warily but inclined his head a touch.

"Sure you d-don't want someone to stay with you Vivi? We can w-wait on pizza." Arthur offered.

"You kidding Squire? I can hear your gut rumbling a mile away, shoo." She made a motion with her hands. "I'll be along in a car later."

Lewis shot her an odd look, but bent to pick up the equipment. He paused. "Aw man, it was unplugged the whole time."

"Oh, so sorry you were having trouble with your equipment. No rewarding spikes in psychic activity to record it seems." LePomfrey pursed her lips sympathetically. "Maybe next time be sure it's actually plugged in, but do forgive me, you are the professionals after all."

Lewis shot her a glare before lifting the equipment and aiming for the door. Arthur picked up Mystery to save strain on his leg, and followed more slowly.

Once the door swung shut, Vivi turned to Madame, peeling off her other glove and laying her hand out flat in front of the woman. "So you know." She said lowly. "You're not a fake at all."

"Madame LePomfrey gives what Madame LePomfrey gets. I give you a true beginning, but mock me and the rest I pull straight from my rear." She quirked her mouth. "Your ghostly friend got the second part of his reading from the rear."

"And mine was from the rear too, but that was just cover, wasn't it?"

"Observant," LePomfrey remarked. "You're in danger, child. Vivi, I believe they called you? I don't know how you came by that mark, but your time runs short."

"How do you know about her mark?" Vivi demanded.

"I am a scholar of the old tales too, and not all my information comes from dimestore paperbacks. I have a small collection of first-hand accounts and records from that era, and a few have detailed that emblem. I took your hand and felt the heat from one hand to the other. She will press an advantage soon to force your decision. Just as she did your mother."

Vivi sucked in a breath, her eyes stinging very suddenly. "There has to be a way to stop her."

"Child, I am skilled, but I am not skilled enough to stand up to her. If there is a way, you must seek it with someone else."

"Then I'm calling in the other service now." Vivi placed her hands down on the table. "The tweets didn't just say you were a psychic, they said you were a medium too."

Madame smiled grimly. "Ah, you choose the priciest items for free, shrewd."

"Please. I don't mean to take advantage, but I'm desperate."

Madame's expression softened. "I understand Child. Whom do you…" Her head swung toward the door. "A darkness turns toward my shop. We have only a few minutes before she arrives. Call a car now." She rose. "I will gather my things."

….

"It doesn't matter where we go. She'll know where I am." Vivi climbed back into the car, seating herself by the strangely dressed woman holding a large leather satchel. "And there isn't a lock that's kept her out yet when she wants to 'check' on me."

"Then we will go to a public place where she cannot safely approach you. You have what you need?"

Vivi nodded. They'd directed the car to her apartment first, where she had grabbed two books from her sealed cupboard.

"So, tell me how you came by her mark. Driver, the nearest Dairy Queen will do nicely."

Vivi pulled out a worn book from her purse, spreading the pages open in front of Madame. "I was desperate. Arthur was in serious trouble, and if I didn't find a way to bind and destroy the Spirit attacking him…" She hesitated. "I know I shouldn't have but… I couldn't bury both of them. I couldn't handle it. I called on her to show me the right spell, and well…" She showed Madame the page. Every other page was in an ancient script, illegible and untranslatable by all accounts, but that one page stood out in English letters to the point where the spell could be sounded out and enacted. It detailed a circular diagram that had to be constructed, and how to go about it and what to say. "When I was done, my hand had the mark." She pulled her pendant out from under her sweater. "Same shape." She laid the pendant over the mark to demonstrate.

"What does the pendant do?" LePomfrey examined it without touching it.

"It keeps her out of me… and it tells her exactly where I am." She slipped it back under her shirt.

"It wards her and binds you at the same time." She murmured. "Fascinating. So in order to take you, she must first convince you to remove it of your own free will, thus allowing her unobstructed entry because you have allowed it." She released a deep sigh. "Quite a brilliant maneuver on her part."

The driver pulled up to the Dairy Queen. Vivi reached for her purse, but to her surprise, LePomfrey pulled out a card and swiped it. "There is likely little I can do for you, but we will see what can be done. Whom do you wish to contact?" They climbed out of the car, entering the building and choosing a table in the far corner.

"I need her sister." She laid the old book down on the table. "This was hers. I have a whole shelf of their books that can't be translated, they're not helpful. But maybe her sister can tell me what to do."

Madame's eyes widened. "You wish me to channel… Vivi, even I have limits, and I am quite skilled. And do you know her state in the afterlife? If she would even consider helping you against her sister?"

"Please." Vivi pleaded. "Please, just one try. Maybe she'll be able to help. The legends are mixed, but I've researched as many as I could find, and there's a chance she'll be sympathetic."

Madame eyed her warily. "Very well. But if she begins displaying erratic signs or reaching through the channel to hurt anyone through me, I expect you to slap me as hard as you can. The shock usually helps me break free."

"You've had sessions go badly before?" Vivi bit her lip.

"Sometimes, when the entity called on is unfriendly. It seems we are taking a gamble this time."

"I will."

LePomfrey reached out and took the book in her hands. "And this was hers and her sister's?" At a nod, she mumbled, "She is already in a mortal body, but the sister is not, so the sister you seek will be the one to respond. It may take a long time, depending on the distance she has to travel." She closed her eyes, rocking gently, her mouth slightly open.

Vivi wasn't sure what she had expected. She couldn't help thinking that someone as theatrical as Madame should be flinging incense and going on in a loud and mighty voice, calling down the spirits. But there she sat, at the back table of a Dairy Queen, clutching an ancient tome and muttering under her breath.

Suddenly her spine stiffened ramrod straight. She gave one or two short gasps, and her eyes flew open. And now her eyes were a stormy sea green, not the hazel they had been moments before.

Vivi swallowed hard. It had hardly been a minute, she must not have had to travel far. "Are you… am I speaking to… Morgan LeFay?"

The eyes fixed on her, focusing sharply. The woman's fingers twined with each other over the tome. "You did ask for me."

"You came so quickly."

"I am never far from my sister and her activities." The mouth was set in a hard line that sent a shiver down Vivi's spine.

Vivi opened her mouth to ask for help, then closed it. Then opened it again, and closed it. How did you ask someone hundreds of years old for help when the antagonist was their sister? She hadn't thought this through far enough.

Before she could open her mouth again, Morgan reached a hand over and laid it on Vivi's. The touch was soft, and belied the grimset expression on her face. "I regret the sorrow my sister has caused her descendants." Even her voice was soft, almost melodic. "I have done my utmost since the day I passed on to encourage my sister to do the same."

"And?" Vivi asked, taking the woman's hand almost frantically.

She shook her head. "She harbors deep hatred. Confusion. Near madness sometimes. She allows mistakes she made and wrongs done upon her to cycle through her being over and over, and she does not even know what she truly desires, it changes from day to day. The only constant is to stay embodied."

Vivi's head drooped, her eyes burning. "Isn't there anything I can do? Isn't there anything you can do?"

Fingers lifted Vivi's chin. "I am not embodied. This is a temporary state. I am grateful to the woman for allowing me to speak with you, and would ask you to part with one of our books in gratitude to her. But Morgause is embodied. With both magic and physical form on her side, there is little I can do save plead with her. But she has shut me out for hundreds of years."

Tears spilled down Vivi's cheeks, her heart aching. "It'll be like dying, won't it?" Her voice shook. "I'm not ready. I don't want to go."

Morgan's hand gently wiped at the tears. "Perhaps it will be like dying. But perhaps," She dropped her hand to rest over the two hidden necklaces. "Perhaps there are ways around such deaths."

* * *


	8. Hitting the Fan

Vivi stared at the woman across from her. Madame's head had slumped to her chest, and her head rolled from side to side slightly. Eventually, she picked her head back up and smiled weakly.

"Well." She laughed shortly. "That was an experience. My face doesn't hurt, I take it she was friendlier than legends say?"

"The legends are always mixed." Vivi's eyes dropped. "They say LeFay was evil, but that she found her way to redemption, and even helped King Arthur in the end by carrying him to Avalon. Her sister though… I think time blurred the line between them in the stories."

"And was she able to help you?" LePomfrey's gaze probed at her.

"Not the way I was hoping." Vivi fixed her eyes on the tabletop. "She gave me something I doubt my mother was given, or anyone in my line. I have a loophole now, but I need…" She swallowed. "I need to talk to the boys. I have to tell them what's going on, and I need Mystery's help."

Madame folded Vivi's hands into hers. "I know you want to protect them, but if this is to be your fate, the next best thing you can do is arm them. Think of the damage that could be done if they had no idea."

Vivi's shoulders shuddered, and she clutched Madame's hands tightly. "Thank you." She managed. "You've… you've gone above and beyond today. Please." She pushed the old tome across the table. "From myself and Morgan LeFay. She wanted to thank you too."

Madame's eyes widened as she took the book. "My thanks to you," She expelled a long breath. "This is… a rare treasure to be entrusted with." Her head jerked up slightly. "She draws near again."

"Go." Vivi stood. "Take a cab back to your shop. Find something defensible in case she comes for you, she probably knows you've been helping me at this point. Do you have anything strong enough?"

The woman nodded, rising. "I have a few trinkets in the back that would give her a fright." She tilted her head. "They would also destroy everything in a ten mile radius, but I wager her self-preservation is too strong to gamble on whether I'd use them or not."

"Keep them close. And if you see me again…" Vivi trailed off.

Madame LePomfrey came around the table, bent down, and wrapped long arms around Vivi. "If I see you again, I will have my trinkets dear. I hope that your loophole does some good."

Vivi sniffed, wiping her eyes as she stood, pulling away from the embrace. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, child." The medium turned, exiting through the side door with long strides. Vivi turned toward the front door, clutching her purse and the remaining book. She had to get to the gang.

….

"Vivi's taking a long time." Lewis frowned at the door, fingers still typing away on the laptop set up in front of him. "What more could she have to say to that quack?"

Arthur shrugged, downing his seventh slice of Surf's Up Surprise. "Maybe the other service t-takes awhile. You seen M-Mystery? I think his drink's almost ready." He smiled. "Love this place, great customer service. Don't think I would'a g-gotten hot water on request from another pizza shop."

"Yeah well you single handedly keep Surf's Up Surprise on the menu, and regulars get special treatment." Lewis glanced around. "I don't see him. Think he went to use the lawn?"

"I do not 'use the lawn' have you ever ONCE seen me 'use the lawn' like a common animal? Honestly."

Arthur's head jerked up. A young man stood behind the ghost, grabbing the back of his seat and leaning hard on it. He wore yellow-tinted glasses and had a mane of red and black hair sticking up from his head. Every angle on his face was sharp, and his hairline came down and around to the edges of his jaw like fox whiskers. He favored one leg heavily, and his smile was tight with pain.

"Mystery?" Arthur sputtered.

"I went to the bathroom to, ah, change. It's been a long time, but I remember how. You were wise to—" He yipped slightly as he sank into the seat across from Arthur, "Excuse me. Wise to build the prototype the way you did. It conformed to my new structure as well."

"Where'd you get the clothes?" Lewis wrinkled his nose.

"It is unfortunate the state they are in, however I was in need of them. There happened to be a rather inebriated human asleep in one of the stalls. I relieved him of his outer garments, he will be perfectly fine when he wakes up. If a tad embarrassed."

"Here buddy, drink up." He handed over the Styrofoam cup. "I took a sip first just to make sure. It's nasty, but I'm f-fine."

Mystery took the cup, a slight crease between his eyebrows. "It's my job to look after you, not the other way around."

"D-deal with it." Arthur said stubbornly, picking up another slice. "High t-time you l-learned the difference between b-being a guardian and being a friend. Friends look out for each other. What're you doing like this now anyway?"

Mystery stuck his tongue in the liquid for a moment, then grimaced. "Tastes like troll urine and wormroot sap." He downed the drink as quickly as he could, then nearly gagging, reached for a slice of the pizza, stuffing it into his mouth to wipe out the taste. Once he'd scarfed down the pizza, he grimaced, wiping his mouth and turning to Lewis. "Because I wanted to ask you what happened when you took Vivi and left us alone in the desert last week."

Lewis put up his hands defensively, and Mystery cut off his defense. "This is not an accusation, you did well, whatever you did, but I need to know what happened. Vivi's behavior has been troubling me since then."

With an odd look at Mystery, Lewis replied, "Well, I grabbed her and headed back to her place. I figured we were beyond any of Arthur's gizmos at this point, but I knew Vivi kept a few relics. She's very secretive about them, but she showed me a couple. Mostly books that she couldn't read. I asked her if there was anything there that could help us." He put his chin in his hands, eyes glowing with the memory. "She was… distressed. She didn't go straight to her cupboard where she keeps it all. She stood there, like she was thinking about something. I tried to shake her out of it, and she threw me off. But after a few seconds, she ran to the cupboard and pulled out a book. She grabbed her necklace and said something too soft for me to hear, and opened the book."

"What necklace?" Mystery asked sharply. "You only just gave her one."

"She wears a necklace all the time, it looks like a flame. She doesn't ever take it off, and she hides it under her shirt all the time." Lewis shrugged.

Arthur's face turned a slightly darker shade of red at the implication, but Lewis didn't seem to pick up on what he'd said.

"You said a flame? You're sure? Draw it in the table." Mystery's eyes were wide and frantic. "Draw that symbol on the table right now Lewis. I need to see it."

Blinking, Lewis pressed the tip of his finger into the plastic table, melting just the slightest outline as he recreated the symbol.

Mystery recoiled, pulling his lips back from his teeth and snarling. Arthur could see now that his teeth were slightly sharper, even in this form.

"Gods," Mystery breathed, "Continue, what happened next?"

"What is it?" Lewis demanded.

"Continue your story!" Mystery barked at him.

Lewis' eyes shifted to Arthur, then back to Mystery. "She told me she knew how to save Arthur, and that I had to get us back as fast as possible. Once we got there, you were up fighting that thing, and Arthur was laid out on the ground. Vivi showed me a pattern in the book, and told me she needed me to make one just like it, but a lot larger and deep into the sand. So I did, just like she showed me, and she started reading off the page. She'd never been able to read the words before, but I guess one page was readable because that's what she was shouting that destroyed the Spirit."

Mystery leaned back in his seat, breathing heavily through his nose, nostrils flaring. Lewis leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "Now what do you know? Why did you freak out over her necklace?"

Mystery shook his head hard. "She told me not to dig, but this is a direct threat to Arthur, it cannot be ignored."

"Threat to Arthur, what are you talking about?" Lewis' hair flickered. "How is Vivi a threat to Arthur?"

"What's going on, Mystery?" Arthur's voice was low, the pizza suddenly untouched in front of him.

"Squire?" Arthur turned in his seat as Vivi's voice interrupted. Immediately Mystery stood, his hair bristling, lips pulled back in a snarl. Vivi caught sight of them and hurried over, but slowed at the sight of Mystery.

Lewis stood, eyes dark. "Back down Mystery. I mean it. I don't know what you're talking about, but this is Vivi, VIVI. She wouldn't hurt a fly, much less Arthur!"

Arthur watched Vivi's face crumple, and knew something was horribly wrong.

"Are you Vivi still?" Mystery asked through clenched teeth. "Are you our Vivi, or is she gone?"

"I'm still Vivi." Her voice was threadbare.

"Prove it!" He growled.

"Mystery I've had it up to here!" Lewis' fist clenched, pulling back. Vivi grabbed his arm.

"Don't Lew. He's got a right… there's a lot I have to explain to you guys. We need to go home right now. Please. There are things I need to tell you all. And Mystery, I don't have to prove it. You'd smell the difference, wouldn't you?"

Mystery paused, and his body relaxed slightly. "I suppose I was a bit hasty." He mumbled. "There are easy markers to know if it's her and not you, yes."

"What are you talking about?" Lewis' voice was dark. "Somebody explain something now!"

"At home, Lewis. I promise." She looked to Mystery miserably. "I'll tell you guys everything." She glanced at the laptop in front of Lewis. He'd written up a lengthy blog post, decrying Madame LePomfrey as a complete nutjob. Reaching over she selected all and hit delete, typing in firmly, "Legit psychic. We recommend."


	9. The Confession

Vivi sat in the backseat of the van for once, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her skirt. Arthur and Lewis had joined to drive back home. Lewis had insisted Mystery ride in the front passenger seat where he could keep an eye on him. A small purple ghost curled around Vivi's neck, patting her face gently, and another coiled in her lap glaring at Mystery.

"What do you call these, Lewis?" She asked, stroking one gently.

"Deadbeats." Came the answer from up front. She noted Arthur's shoulders relaxing from their earlier tension as she caressed the little Deadbeat, which now nuzzled her hand for more.

"That's a terrible name, Lew." Arthur sighed. "You really need to come to me for decent puns."

"I'm not in the mood Arthur."

Vivi sighed, turning to Mystery. "And you, human? What's the occasion?"

Mystery's head turned slightly. "I am able to take many forms… or I was. It's been a very long time, right now I can only recall how to shift into half a dozen. I should spend some time retrieving that knowledge… but I wished to speak with Lewis. These days it is more than a little disconcerting to humans when they see a dog transform into a kitsune. Also, my speech is limited to the form I take, excepting in my true form. The logical step was to take human form."

Vivi nodded. "How's your leg, did the tea work?"

Mystery touched his leg gingerly. "The worst of the pain is gone, yes. I assume you had further discussion with the Madame regarding your situation."

Vivi nodded, staring out the window. The van pulled to a stop in front of the house and Arthur hopped out. Mystery and Vivi followed as they all filed back into the living room. Vivi took the corner of the couch, keeping her eyes down. Arthur took the other corner, and Lewis left his body to perch on the back of the couch in between them. Mystery, still limping slightly, settled into the comfy chair.

Arthur was the first to break the silence. "Lew, I can feel your heat from here. I know you're really upset right now, but m-my house isn't fireproof, and neither are we. Are you g-going to be able to hold back when she starts talking?"

Lewis glanced at Arthur, startled by the bluntness of his question. "I'll be fine."

Vivi plucked at a thread that had sprung from the hem of her skirt. The Deadbeats still draped around her, one now curled up on her head and the other staring balefully at Mystery from her shoulder.

"You know how it's really cool that Arthur is actually descended from King Arthur and all?" She swallowed. "It is really cool, but all I could think when I heard it was I wish I'd never met you."

Arthur's face twitched.

"Not cause I don't like you, Squire. I mean, we practically grew up together. But that's just it." She lifted her head. "I'm descended from somebody too. Except she never really went away. And I think she wants to hurt you."

"Now _you're_ being haunted?" Lewis asked, incredulous.

"Not 'now' Lew. My whole family line. She's never left, she just takes the next daughter as her new body."

There was a moment of silence as they absorbed this information. Lewis' hair flared out from his head, but he curled his fists, forcibly restraining his energies.

"She has your Mom?" Arthur asked in alarm. "Mrs. P was always really nice when I came over, we've got to break her free!"

"You never met my mother, Squire." Vivi's voice was soft. "Morgause took her when I was six. She took this off," She fished the pendant out from under her shirt, laying it out in the open. Mystery tensed, but stayed quiet. "She put it on me. She said never take it off, never lose it. She gave me this journal too." Vivi pulled the book out from her purse. "She said she was sorry, and she was crying. And then she wasn't there anymore, Morgause was. "

"Who's Morgause?" Arthur frowned. "I've heard of Morgana, even Morgan LeFay, but not any Morgause."

"Morgause was Morgan LeFay's sister. Many of the old tales merge the two of them into one evil person, but others separate out Morgan LeFay as the one that found redemption." She glanced at Mystery. "With Madame LePomfrey's help I spoke to her today."

Mystery straightened, eyes lightening. "She was a trial for a time, but she did earn her pardon as well. Did she give any advice?"

Vivi shook her head, and Mystery slumped. "She said there wasn't anything she could do."

"So what does the necklace do?" Lewis redirected.

"And why does Morgause want to hurt me?" Arthur exclaimed.

"The necklace keeps Morgause out of my body." She plucked at the thread on her skirt, tugging as it unraveled along the edge. "It also tells her where I am all the time. And someday, there will be a situation where I have to take it off. Then she'll have me, because taking it off means I'm letting her in."

"Possession?" Arthur asked, subdued.

"No, Squire. When you're possessed you're still in there somewhere. This is a complete hijack. My mother is dead and gone, and has been since I was six."

At that, Lewis and his Deadbeats vanished. Vivi turned to the spot where he'd been, eyes wide. "Lew!"

Arthur sighed, lowering his head. "He's probably going somewhere to let loose, Viv, this isn't easy to hear. He'll be back in a minute or two probably."

"You're taking this awfully calmly." She mumbled.

"No, actually, I'm pretty p-pissed at you." His eyes were hard. "You knew this a-all the time and you never told either of us? And you got on ME for trying to protect you from MY secrets?"

"I hoped I'd be able to duck it." She said quietly. "I was wrong. I screwed up… I'm sorry Squire."

He sighed, turning away as Lewis reappeared between them, still radiating heat but not exploding. "At least you told us before it happened, and we can do something about it."

Mystery sighed deeply, lowering his head into his hands. Abruptly Lewis stood, crossing the room and grabbing Mystery by the collar, jerking him to his feet. "Don't you dare do that. Don't you dare." His voice was like stone. "If you're doing that, that means you have no idea what to do, because you're not strong enough to face whatever is doing this to Vivi, and that's not acceptable, do you understand me? It's not acceptable!"

"Put him down you walking chestnut roaster!" Vivi stood, running over and yanking on Lewis' arm. "It's not his fault! Nobody can stop her, there's nothing that can be done!"

He dropped Mystery, now skeletal-faced, rounding on Vivi and grabbing her arms. "That's not acceptable!" He roared in her face. The Deadbeats circled his head in a frenzy, wailing at various tones and frequencies. "Do you hear me Vivi? You're going to live a long and happy life, you're going to grow old chasing ghosts and calling people you're mad at ridiculous names and… and…"

Vivi stared up at him, her eyes glistening. "Lew," she whispered, "I'm scared too. But I've been looking for ways out my whole life, and there's nothing."

"How do you know?" He shouted, still gripping her arms like she was going to vanish if he let go. "How do you know there isn't anything we can do about it?"

"You said it yourself. Mystery's the most powerful spirit we know. She already dismissed him to me, and if he knew a way out he would have said it by now."

Lewis spun to Mystery. "What if I live inside her from here on out? Would that keep this Morgause out?"

Mystery barked a short laugh. "Lewis, you don't understand. Vivi eventually will remove the necklace of her own free will, essentially inviting Morgause. You know how binding that can be. Morgause will use whatever means necessary to get Vivi to do this. If I know her, she will leverage either yourself or Arthur to accomplish this. I hate to admit to this, but she is correct, I am not a match for Morgause, and when she does come, I will not be able to stop her." He sat back down, burying his face in his hands. "Merlin you fool, why didn't you give me something against her?"

The Deadbeats' crescendo rose to a frenzy as Lewis put his hands to his head. "There has to be something we can do, anything!"

"Morgan LeFay only gave me one thing." Vivi walked past Lewis, kneeling in front of Mystery. She pulled off the locket Lewis and Arthur had given her, and laid it in his hand. "She said there are ways around such deaths. Lewis didn't have an anchor until after he died, but he had reasons to stay. I don't have a pull to stay. In fact I'll probably want to fade away fast, to not see what she does with my body, or who she hurts. But if there's even the smallest chance, then I need a way back. Mystery, I need you to anchor me to this locket."

Mystery's head came up, and he stared at her for a long moment. "Oh," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "Clever Vivi. Yes. It is a small thing, but it is something I can do." He pulled her hand into his so that the locket was between their hands. A soft glow shone from between their palms for a few moments before fading away, and Mystery released her hand, gently patting the side of her head. "You're very brave, Vivi. I'm honored to have been able to know a human like you."

"Stop talking about her like she's gone!" Lewis roared. "She's right here! And she's not going anywhere!"

Vivi turned, walking over to Lewis. His hair roiled and lashed out sporadically, the Deadbeats screaming. She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.

"Lew, please." Her voice was breaking. "Please. Please."

The Deadbeats vanished, and Lewis' arms came down and around Vivi, and he clutched her close.

She turned her head slightly so she could see Arthur. "The journal. Take it Squire. It has more answers, you'll need them. It's all we know. There are entries from every woman in my line. Whatever happens, don't let her hurt you. Do whatever you have to, I don't care. It won't be me anymore."

Arthur picked up the journal, cradling it carefully, not trusting himself to answer.

"Lew, I'm tired." She squeezed him tightly. "Can we go somewhere?"

"Go to my room." Arthur's voice was low. "I'll be out here. She's not leaving our sight til this thing is sorted one way or the other. Mystery, you're with me. We're reading through this."

Lewis silently scooped Vivi up into his arms and retreated to Arthur's room. Mystery stood, limping to the kitchen. "It's going to be a long night, we'll need tea."

"A long night alright." Arthur settled back, cracking the journal open. "I'll be damned if there isn't a w-way out of this."


	10. Memoirs of a Kitsune

"So what was this Morgause like?" Arthur sipped his mug of cocoa. Mystery had been unable to find any tea in Arthur's kitchen, and had settled for what was in the cupboard. "What was her thing against King Arthur?"

Mystery lapped at his cocoa lightly, licking the foam off his lips. He eyed the lone Deadbeat that remained in the room, listening on Lewis' behalf. "It's complicated. She was never a very happy woman. She and her two sisters were born to Arthur's mother and another man. They began magic studies, but were unable to complete them. When their father died, their mother was married to Uther Pendragon, father of King Arthur."

"So this Morgause is like my great great great times infinity a-aunt? I guess family's not that important to her." He paused. "Wait, that makes Vivi like… my cousin, super-removed."

Mystery hesitated. "It's… more complex than that. See, Uther married the three sisters off to help his own alliances. Morgause ended up married to King Lot." His eyes glowed briefly. "You'll forgive that I don't have many kind words for him, he joined the rebellion against King Arthur." He sighed. "The rebellion that I had planted the seeds for already, and could no longer reverse at that point."

Arthur patted Mystery's shoulder. "That's b-behind. Continue."

Mystery inclined his head and did so. "I was… not available for the particulars of what happened with Arthur the night King Lot was imprisoned. I sensed trouble elsewhere in the castle, and went to stop it. Someone was trying to free King Lot from the dungeons and arm him to kill Arthur. I returned King Lot to the dungeons and imprisoned the mutineer, and when I came back, ah…" He put the tips of his fingers together, as if unsure how to phrase it. "I could… scent… that a woman had been in his bedchambers." He sighed. "At this point, Arthur heavily suspected his bride, Guinevere, of adultery. He'd taken to sleeping alone, he would often rant to me in the evenings. He felt utterly betrayed on all sides." Shame crept into his tone. "I was not surprised to find the scent of another woman there, it is human nature to lash out in return for pain. But he made a dreadful mistake. I traced the scent back to the woman, to find out who it was, and it was Morgause."

Arthur looked sick. "He…"

"He had no idea." Mystery shook his head. "But he sired a child on his half-sister, and the child was Mordred."

"I've heard of Mordred, I think." Arthur frowned. "There are so many names in that legend. Why do all the dark names start with 'Mor-'?"

Mystery ignored him. "I kept an eye on Mordred, because she was also of Arthur's line."

"WHOAH wait," Arthur interrupted. "I don't know a lot about Mordred, but he was definitely a dude!"

"Arthur, if you knew the sheer number of human females who passed themselves as male in order to do what they were not allowed to do, your histories and legends would look very different." Mystery lapped a bit more at his cocoa. "Mordred was set on becoming a knight under King Arthur. She had no knowledge of her real father. But her mother's mind was beginning to splinter, and she fell back on her childhood learning of the dark arts, collecting more knowledge. When Morgause's husband was killed, she came loose from all her moorings. She began seducing various lovers, including one of Arthur's best knights. But one of her sons found them out in the act, and beheaded her."

He stared into his mug. "I watched Mordred, and saw her quite changed the next day. I had allowed her near Arthur because she wanted so desperately to protect him and his realm, and I saw no harm in it. But the next day, her desires had darkened. And when I smelled her, I did not smell the same Mordred who had entered Arthur's services. I smelled the woman who had been in Arthur's bedchamber, Morgause, with her. And when she looked at me, her eyes were confused, as though she didn't know who she was. And over the next several days, the smell of Mordred vanished completely, and I could only smell Morgause."

"From that moment on, I did all I could to have Mordred removed from the circle of knights, but I was so limited. And things began to fall apart… Mordred uncovered Guinevere's treachery, and Arthur's reign disintegrated. So did he. While he was off fighting wars and trying to fix the mess, Mordred usurped his throne. I was in the thick of battle with him, but I didn't see him leave. I didn't see…" He stared hard into his cocoa. "When I finally looked for him, he had returned to his castle to face Mordred. Mordred was on the end of his sword, but she had impaled herself far enough to strike a mortal blow to his head."

Arthur stared silently.

"He had his sword, Excalibur, cast into the lake. Morgan LeFay came then, and took…" Mystery's voice tightened. "Took Arthur where I could not follow."

Arthur reached over, setting a hand on Mystery's arm.

Mystery's eyes landed on Arthur's hand. "I returned to the castle. Many of Arthur's sons had died, or would die shortly. Merlin allowed that much of me, that I could see where Arthur's line would continue, and whom to protect. I found the one son that would continue on. He was little more than a child…" He took a deep breath. "I could feel Morgause's spirit moving down her lineage. She had forced Mordred's body to conceive, and likely took her child-daughter's body upon her death on Arthur's sword. I had to remove Arthur's line from danger, even if it mean removing his line from the land he was meant to rule. And so… I crossed deserts. I crossed oceans. I crossed mountains. I came to a strange land with a strange child, and I found for him a home that took him in. And from there on out, I thought we were safe. I thought she could not find us, or she would give up and fade away. I was mistaken."

"That doesn't explain why she wants to k-kill me."

"To be perfectly honest, Arthur, I don't know why. I was not interested in stopping to ask her in the middle of my duties protecting the King's line. My duties have always been clear, and became much more than duties over time."

"Okay," Arthur leaned forward. "And I get why you ran when you did, you were limited, but you're not bound now. Why are you still afraid of her?"

Mystery growled shamefacedly. "You speak as if I am a coward."

"No buddy, I don't mean it like that. But when you s-saw that symbol on the table, that was fear. Think I don't know fear when I s-see it? I know you're not a coward."

"Those books Vivi has, the one she read from. You saw what it could do. You saw what it did to a Spirit that was my equal, or would have been had I not been so enraged and newly restored to myself. It is not Morgause herself that is so fearful, it is the range of spells she taught herself, and the knowledge contained in those books that she learned, and continued to learn down through the centuries. By now, I have no concept of how much power she has amassed simply through knowledge of these spells. If just one of her spells could do that to that Spirit…"

Mystery suddenly threw down his empty mug, shattering it on the ground. The observing Deadbeat flew into the Christmas tree, sheltering in its branches. "Throwing myself in front of an express train would be just as useful as trying to stop her at this point! Merlin you FOOL." Mystery stood to his feet, beginning to pace unevenly. "What good is making me guardian of a line when there are threats beyond me? Was this just further punishment, was it? Bind me to them, make me care, then let them die in front of me, is that it?" His lips pulled back as he snarled. "You had the same levels of power as this woman and you could not grant me SOME of that in defense?"

"Mystery!" Arthur stood, catching him by the shoulders, his grip hard, startling Mystery out of his anger. "Calm down. We'll figure this out. You're not alone, okay? I'm in on this too, so is Lewis, so is Vivi for now."

Mystery opened his mouth, but Arthur cut him off. "I don't wanna hear 'you don't know how powerf-ful she is'. I get it, I have no idea. But there's always a way. She's one ghost working ALONE. There's four of us w-working together. We WILL come up with something, u-understand me?"

Mystery stared at him, looking lost. "How can you be so sure? How can you be so certain… and you barely grown yourself…"

"C-cause in case you forgot I just pulled the whole there's-no-other-way card, and because my f-friends didn't give up on me, I'm s-still here. And it looked every b-bit as dark to me as it does to you and Vivi. You get me?" Mystery just stared at him blankly. "Now can you s-sit down and answer me some more questions?"

Mystery sat slowly, and Arthur followed suit. "Now, wh-why hasn't she already tried to kill me? Vivi said I never met her Mom, that Morgause had already taken Mrs. P by the time I met her. Sh-she must have known who I was, why didn't she do anything about it?"

Mystery spread his hands. "I don't know. Only she would know. I can't believe I didn't…" He made a frustrated sound. "It had been so long since I'd scented her, and I thought us safe. I never thought anything of Vivi's mother."

"Okay, then if she's s-so powerful, why isn't she killing me now?"

"I don't know!" Mystery raked a hand through his hair. "I don't know, I wish I did, then I could TRY and come up with something to do."

"C-calm down buddy, I'm just asking. Let's see if th-there are any answers in here, ok?" He scooted over next to Mystery, opening the journal. "Let's just take it a page at a time. The first entry is…" He frowned. "That's really hard to read."

Mystery took the journal from Arthur, studying the lettering and pressing his nose to the page, sniffing. "The first entry is Mordred."


	11. Lineage of Sorrow

Vivi didn't make a sound as Lewis brought her into Arthur's room, kicking aside piles of clothes in disgust. He set her in the chair first, mumbling something about the sheets probably not having been washed in ages, and proceeded to change all the sheets and bedcovers. A smile tugged lightly at her mouth. Poor Lew, even in death he couldn't stand Arthur's messes. But then, would he still be Lewis if he could?

Once the bed was made, Lewis picked her up, setting her under the covers and tucking her in carefully. He made as if to sit on the edge of the bed, but she grabbed his sleeve, pulling him down. "Lew, would you hold me? Please." She hated how pitiful she sounded, but everything was falling apart, and she couldn't help herself.

Lewis slipped under the covers with her, drawing her into his arms and tucking her head under his bony chin. She nestled in his arms, twining her legs with his and feeling the gentle heat radiate from his form. She caught a whiff of hot peppers and laughed a little. "You still smell like hot peppers all the time, you know that?" She giggled, the laugh expanding out louder and louder until it imploded on itself, collapsing into an outburst of sobs. Lewis said nothing, holding her tightly, allowing the storm to spend itself.

When she recollected herself, she wiped her nose on her sleeve, sniffling. "Lew, I don't want you to see it when it happens."

Lewis said nothing, and gave no indication that he'd heard her.

"I mean it Lewis. It's going to be hard enough as it is. I don't want you to see her take me. Please, can you do that?"

Again, Lewis refused to answer.

Vivi closed her eyes. She wouldn't be able to budge him. He'd probably already made up his mind. She pushed one of his arms away, finding his hand and slipping something into it. He lifted his hand, looking to see the locket in it. "Please hold onto it for me. In case anything changes, if it's possible that I can get my body back… I'll be in there. Will you keep it safe, Lew?"

Lewis let go of Vivi only long enough to tuck the locket tenderly into the breast pocket of his suit before embracing her fiercely.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled, her apology muffled by his suit. "I'm so sorry."

Lewis stroked her hair, silent in his grief.

"Can you sing to me Lew?" She asked, closing her eyes. "I miss hearing you sing."

Lewis let out a small aching sound, closing his eyes. Deadbeats slowly slipped out of his chest cavity, circling overhead sadly, humming a melancholy tune as a tender voice resonated from his chest into her head.

_There is a castle on the clouds_

_I like to go there in my sleep_

_Aren't any floors for me to sweep_

_Not in my castle on the cloud…_

…..

**Excerpts from the writings of Mordred**

I write now of sound mind, but I fear it will not be so for very long. My mother died today, but I hear her voice. She speaks to me, she whispers to me. She curses me horribly when I turn away, but what she proposes is an abomination. I weep for her passing, but I have my own life. My own path to fulfill. I am a knight of the round table, I serve the King. But my mother was ever persuasive, and the words she speaks are full of darkness. I feel the darkness seeking entry, but whom do I turn to? I cannot reveal myself and remain a knight. I will stay the course then, she cannot bind me to her will.

My will is fading. Two days and she has continued to whisper in my ear, every hour, every minute, every second I hear her voice, whispering. Witching. Waiting. Mother, why? Why do you do this to me? You loved me once, did you not? At the least you cared for me some, encouraged me to join as a knight. None else would do so. Why now do you demand this thing of me?

Mother… is… coming… perhaps… I can warn the King…

**Excerpts from the writings of Emmora, daughter of Mila, daughter of Mordred**

Mother tells me I mustn't run off so much, that something bad could happen to me if I do. She says she can't risk anything bad happening to my body. She has made me a necklace and forbade me from ever taking it off. She says one day she will ask me to take it off and give it to my daughter, and then everything will be clear. What does she mean? Why is the necklace so important? I tried to take it off one day, and suddenly Mother was right there, and she slapped me. Why was she so angry about a necklace?

**Exceprts from the writings of Salome, daughter of Emmora**

I ask mother where father is. My friends all have mothers and fathers, why have I no father? She laughs at me, says there is no point to having a father, no need for one. She says men break too easily, and it isn't worth trying to put them back together. Their only purpose is to give her another daughter, she says. Another daughter, what does she mean? I am her only child.

**Excerpts from the writings of Allois, daughter of Salome**

Mother gave me a necklace today, and she gave me a journal, and then suddenly she wasn't mother. I look back on other entries, and I understand. I understand what we are meant for, and I am afraid. Tonight I will run away, I will find a place where Mother will never find me. I'll do anything I have to. I'll serve, I'll slave, I'll sell myself, but I will be my own, and not hers.

**Excerpts from the writings of Annabelle, daughter of Allois**

Today I have the journal, and the necklace. Mama was crying when she gave them to me. She told me to run away, to run as far away as I could. She gave me all the money she had. I'm afraid. How do I run away? I'm only ten!

I got on a carriage and left Mama. I was crying. I didn't want to leave her with the mean ghost, but she said I had to. She said I'd become the mean ghost too if I didn't get far, far away from her. She said keep the necklace, keeps me safe. But if it keeps me safe, why didn't it keep her safe? Why's the mean ghost got my Mama now?

I know why the mean ghost gave us all necklaces. It's a trick. It keeps us safe, but she knows where I am. I got off the carriage, and Mama was there, smiling at me. But it wasn't Mama. Oh Mama, Mama, where'd you go?

**Excerpts from the writings of Melanie, daughter of Annabelle**

Today, Mama told me what would happen. Her eyes were very sad, and she said she was sorry. There's nothing she can do. She told me what was going to happen to me, because it happens to everybody. She said she could have stayed a little longer, but she had to ask Morgause for help. She said never ask Morgause for help, because then Morgause wants her new body faster. When Morgause helps you, she said, it makes her older faster, and she showed me the burn on her hand. I promised her, I'd never ever need her help. I kissed her goodbye, and I was brave and didn't cry when she gave me the necklace and wasn't Mama anymore. And the next day, Papa was dead.

**Excerpts from the writings of Phoebe, daughter of Melanie**

I made a mistake. I begged Morgause's help. I asked her to heal Timothy, the doctors said there was no hope. I loved him so much… and she did. But when he woke up, he didn't know me. He didn't know Vivi. Of course she would find a way to cast him off. She's never had further use for them than producing the next body, the next sack of flesh. I hate her. But at least he lives. It's more than my father was allowed. He died the day after I received the necklace. There is a burn on my hand, and it looks like that accursed necklace. Vivi, forgive me, I didn't mean this hell for you.

**Excerpts from the writings of Vivi, daughter of Phoebe**

It ends with me. I've scraped together all the money I can, and I did it. There won't be another daughter, not now, not ever. If I can't keep her away, I can keep her from spreading. No sons, no daughters. She wins, but she loses.

Arthur set down his highlighter. The stories and entries went on and on, but he had carefully marked the parts that gave him the information he needed.

"So. Vivi called on Morgause to give her the spell she needed to save us. But Morgause doesn't know…"

"That Vivi sterilized herself." Mystery's face was grieved. "Clever Vivi, always one step ahead even when she couldn't beat the system."

"What do you think will happen when she finds out?" Arthur turned to Mystery. "She can't hurt Vivi anymore since she's basically kicking Vivi out, what will she do?"

Mystery lifted his shoulders in a weary shrug. "I wish I knew. I'm sure there are ways, and spells she will start searching through. Someone who's held onto living as long as she will not allow herself to die so easily. Doubtless she will come up with some scheme."

Arthur looked down at the journal. "And no closer to finding an answer to how to stop h-her."

"You should sleep, Arthur. It's been a long day, and maybe if you sleep you'll think of something you didn't before." Mystery stood, limping slightly on his way to the kitchen. "I'll take the night watch."

Arthur grabbed his laptop off the nearby table and flipped it open. "I'll go to sleep in just a minute. I just realized I need something overnighted here."

As he entered his order on Amazon, he caught sight of the lone Deadbeat slipping out of the tree and heading down the hall to his room. He closed his eyes, dreading Lewis' response to what they'd learned. Within a few moments, several Deadbeats poured out of his room, all collecting in a pile on the floor where they couldn't wake Vivi with their noise. Every one of them moaning.

"I'm sorry Lewis." Arthur shut his laptop. "But we're not going down without a fight."


	12. A Futile Attempt

It was warm, and she nestled in the warmth. There was a pleasant, spicy scent that stung her nostrils, and she rubbed her nose sleepily. She felt safe and protected, and someone was holding her.

She opened her eyes and looked up to see a skeletal face staring forward. She blinked, finding it odd that a skeleton was holding her, but she was not afraid. It didn't seem to want to hurt her, it merely held her as they stood… where were they? She craned her head around. They were in a hallway. Behind the skeleton was a bedroom, and a bed with covers thrown back. Nothing looked familiar. She looked up at the skeleton and reached up, gingerly touching his chin.

The face immediately came down, staring at her, the eyes full of something she couldn't name. Why did the skeleton seem so sad?

There was a horrible racket from the room at the end of the hall. She couldn't see around the corner at the far end, but something large was crashing around, beating against the walls and shaking the entire house. She clutched at the skeleton's suit, and it shielded her head with a large hand, protectively. Why was the skeleton protecting her?

"It _would_ take the binding of a Kitsune to wake you." The voice was instantly familiar, and Vivi shrank in the skeleton's arms in terror. She'd been found. Suddenly she was glad she couldn't see what was happening.

"Mrs. P, you're a little older than the last time I saw you." She didn't recognize the male voice. It was hard and angry, but she could hear slivers of fear in it. "What's it been, only five years since you made me c-cookies? By the way, always loved 'em. Always felt they were mi-issing that special ingredient though, a touch of a-arsenic. Or maybe strychnine is mo-ore your style?"

"Sarcasm doesn't become you, Arthur, and your stammer gives you away."

"Couldn't care l-less right now. You're n-not welcome, Morgause. Get out of my house."

Vivi's eyes widened. Whoever the strange voice was, he knew who Morgause was. Arthur? Who was Arthur?

"Gladly, but first I'll be collecting my belongings."

"She's _not_ your belongings."

Vivi's hands knotted in the silken fabric of the skeleton's suit. "He knows!" She pleaded upward, terrified. "How does he know? Nobody knows!" The skeleton pressed her head against its chest, saying nothing.

"Ah, I see. Arthur thinks he is still King. He thinks he understands, and then he hands down his judgment from on high, like he always has. But you're wrong. Father was right. Children are only property, and Vivi is my property, and I will have her now." Vivi's heart clenched as Morgause's voice rose higher. "Do be a dear and bring her out. I know she's back there, and you know I will always find her."

The skeleton walked forward, his steps like lead as he carried Vivi down the hall. She closed her eyes, burying her face into his chest like a little girl, unwilling to face what her mother had become. Not again. From the crack between his chest and arm, she could see them passing into the room, past a thick carpet of black and white fur that roiled with blue flame. She raised her head, and nearly screamed at the sight of a giant kitsune, bound nose to tails in cords of vibrant blue flame. It thrashed helplessly, unable to even open its mouth and give warning.

What was this place?

"Too kind of you, Lewis dear." Vivi buried her face back in the skeleton's chest, hiding from the owner of that voice. "Quite accommodating, but she's a bit more fearful than I recall. Disoriented even. You wouldn't have happened to tamper with my property, would you?"

The skeleton set her down, still holding her close. "She doesn't remember me." His voice was ragged with grief, but firm. "Or Arthur. Or Mystery. You can't use us against her. She doesn't know."

Her head whipped up, eyes round. This skeleton… she knew him? She finally turned, averting her eyes from the hunched figure in the room, staring at the other man. He sat on the sole piece of furniture still intact, the couch, as if he'd just risen from sleep. His orange hair was tousled, and he had a robotic left arm. And the cold anger in his face was somehow frightening to see. She knew him?

Morgause sucked in a whuffly breath through her nose, releasing it slowly from between her lips. "Well, they have brains and they use them. What a marvel. It truly is a shame about your heart though."

Vivi saw the skeleton's eyes darted to Arthur, and Arthur's hand twitched toward his pocket. She opened her mouth to cry warning, but Morgause stretched a hand in Arthur's direction, giving a guttural command. A heart-shaped locked, cracked down the front, leaped out of Arthur's pocket and sailed into her open hand. "Too easy. You use your brains, but impulse control is far too low. So young." She curled her hand inward, her fingernails digging at the crack in the locket. "So naïve."

The skeleton staggered back from Vivi, dropping to one knee. His hair blazed uncontrollably as he gave a strangled cry, and it flickered shocks of blue flame.

"Lewis dear," Morgause's voice came from behind Vivi, and she wondered if it was all just a bad dream. She turned to see Morgause's fingernails digging into the cracks on the locket. "A broken heart can be dangerous if left in the wrong hands. Vivi had so much to say about you. She would do anything for you, so please, be a dear and return those memories right away."

The skeleton—Lewis—groaned in pain. She could see his hands glowing blue, and his body jerking about as he tried to keep control of himself.

She hadn't been afraid of the skeleton, even though she'd never seen him before. He'd held her so tenderly. If it was true, what Morgause said, then she knew this skeleton, and he was trying to protect her from something it was impossible to protect her from, but he was trying anyway.

No matter what he did, this was the end for her. She could at least spare him. As he struggled against the magic drawing him toward Vivi, she walked straight into his arms, and placed his glowing palm to her forehead.

_Lewis._

_Mystery._

_Arthur._

It flooded back to her an instant, and she felt her heart begin to crumble. Lewis, dear Lewis. She could strangle him and kiss him all at once. She reached up, pulling his face down and pressing her lips to his bony face.

"You," she said thickly, "Are the biggest, stupidest, deadest idiot I've ever met in all my days. And I would give you a much longer what-for if I had more time. But thank you for trying." She pressed her nose against his, tears running down her cheeks. "I love you too."

"Vivi…" His voice was barely a whisper.

She turned, finally, to face Morgause.

"So good to see you yourself again darling." Her mother smiled widely. "I've been trying to get in touch the last couple of days, but you were busy with company all the time. It is rather urgent though, and it seems you've aired our dirty laundry. Fitting they should watch, don't you think?"

Vivi's eyes landed on the locket in Morgause's hand. "I think you need to drop the locket first."

"Of course Vivi, anything for my daughter. Would you be so kind as to return my necklace? You haven't a daughter to give it to yet, so I will hold it for safekeeping. Then I will be happy to return the locket."

Vivi's breath caught.

"If that isn't enough, I'll throw in little seven-tails' safety for good measure."

Mystery rolled, slamming against the wall in pain as the fiery cords burned brightly. Morgause's fingernails dug the cracks in the locket wider, and Lewis thrashed behind her on the ground, his entire form flickering under the attack on his anchor.

"Stop!" She screamed. "Just stop!" Her hands went up to the chain on her neck, but her hands were shaking, her instincts screaming against her actions. She kept fumbling the clasp, and couldn't pull it free.

"Do you need some help, dear?" Morgause chuckled. "You seem to be having some trouble. There's no need to be nervous."

Vivi kept trying to unlatch it, but her hands were shaking too hard. Suddenly she grabbed it and began to yank. She pulled and tugged and jerked on it until it cut into her skin, and with one final yank she broke the chain. She panted, clutching the pendant and its broken chain in one hand. She didn't look at Lewis again, she didn't dare lest she lose her nerve, but instead turned to Mystery. Sinking to her knees by his snout, she put one hand on the end of his nose, staring him straight in the eyes. "You do whatever it takes to keep my boys safe. You hear me?" Her voice shook. "Whatever it takes."

His eyes were pained, but he closed them once in acknowledgement, whining lowly.

"Vivi, dramatics are such a bother. Can we dispense with all that? I'm not getting any younger."

Standing again, Vivi turned to Morgause. Slowly, she placed herself directly in front of the old hag, and held out her hand. Morgause cupped a palm underneath, waiting.

Vivi raised her head, catching Arthur's eyes over the head of her mother's body. He sat there, looking as lost as she felt. She wished she had more time. She wished she could make things easier for him. She wished above all else that he had not been born into the family Morgause hated so much.

_Arthur. Lewis. I'm sorry._

Her hand opened, and the pendant dropped into Morgause's hand.

Her mother's body crumpled to the ground like an old dishrag, and she felt a force rushing into her body. It was like a hurricane of rage flooding into her, pushing and shoving and ramming every bit of her into a tiny, tiny corner, and then expelling her in a long, drawn-out wail that must have roused neighbors three houses down. And in a moment, she was floating in front of her body, seeing her own eyes turn ebony, and her mouth twist into a cruel smile under twin tear streaks.

She turned toward Lewis, already feeling the pull from her anchor, when her motion was arrested. Her body's hands, glowing blue, had her soul fast between them. And as she hung there, helpless, the hands clenched and began to rip and tear.

It was like nothing Vivi had ever felt. She screamed with a pain she could never have understood existed as the hands raked and tore deep wounds into her soul, before releasing her. What was left of her hurtled toward Lewis' breast pocket, and the last thing she heard was her own voice say coldly, "That was for making me wait so long."


	13. As The World Burns

Arthur could pinpoint the second Vivi was evicted. Her eyes lost focus for half a second, then her pupils swelled, overtaking her irises until he was staring into twin black pools. Her mouth opened in a shattering wail, and her hands darted forward, making a strange motion in front of her, as if she was tearing something, before she dropped them to her sides, a chilling smile on her face. She wiped the tear trails off her face, remarking, "That was for making me wait so long."

Morgause spun around to Lewis, extending a hand and uttering a gravelly sounding set of syllables. A thin film of blue left her hand, encompassing the ghost entirely. He knelt there, frozen, unable to move, his eyes staring at the woman in front of him.

"Save your rage. I've business here first." She turned back to Arthur, the same chilling grin on her face.

Arthur closed his eyes, taking a moment to brace himself and assess the situation.

_Vivi is gone._

_Lewis can't help me._

_Mystery can't move._

_What would Vivi do right now?_

_Stall. Stay alive. Keep everyone alive. Pretty basic…_

_But Vivi's gone-not now. Think about that later. She put her worries off til later, I can do it. I can do this, Vivi._

He opened his eyes, matching Morgause's stare. Unexpectedly, he felt something harden inside of him as a cold thought formed.

_She just killed Vivi. One of my best friends is gone._

The anger lent him a small degree of brazenness. "So, you wanted to talk? Or are you just g-going to stare all night?"

She shook her head side to side, slowly. "You're quite right, son of Uther. Arsenic and strychnine are far too simple. There are better ways. Personally, my favorite moment was usurping your throne."

Arthur's eyes were hard. "I think y-you're mistaking me for someone else, Morgause."

"Hardly." She scoffed. "You are no different from your ancestor, as Vivi is no different from me. The sons become their fathers, and the daughters become their mothers. It is the way of the world."

"You're wrong. Vivi was nothing like you."

"There is no Vivi in this line." Her eyes flashed. "There is no Phoebe either. None of them are real, none of them ever were. There is only Morgause, until the line of Arthur ends."

"And how do you plan on tha-at?" Arthur tilted his head, affecting more confidence than he felt. Anger could only take him so far, and he began to feel fear creeping in around the edges.

"The only sensible way to do anything. Usurp your line entirely."

Arthur opened his mouth to ask what she meant, when the doorbell rang. He blinked, and for a moment even Morgause looked startled.

"Hold that thought." He stood from the couch, slowly, fighting off the dizziness. He shuffled slowly to the front door, opening it a crack.

"Arthur Rebbs?" A deliveryman stood on his front porch with a long, slender package.

"Yeah. That's me." Arthur opened the door a little further, taking the proffered pen and signing his name.

The deliveryman peered into the house and raised his eyebrow. "You guys doing some kind of LARP or something?" He joked.

"Mhmm." Arthur handed back his signature, grabbing the package. "In the middle of a really important sce-ene right now, thanks, have a great day." He shut the door on the deliveryman.

"You took a delivery in the middle of this?" Morgause was incredulous.

"What was I supposed to d-do, leave him standing there?" Arthur set the package down next to Mystery, his mind already working. He needed time, and he needed to know what Morgause wanted. "So, as you were th-threatening? Something about usurping the line."

Morgause tilted her head, as if trying to recall her train of thought. "Yes. Yes." Her face lit up as she found her thought again. "There is only one true way to usurp the throne. I was dreadfully close with Mordred. But I was mistaken. I shouldn't have tried to kill the King. But now, I can complete my work with you."

Arthur didn't like the sound of that, and sat back down on the couch. "Go on."

"The only way to usurp a line is to corrupt it." Morgause stepped toward him. "I will corrupt your line. Usurp your throne. And prepare my next body."

Bile rose in Arthur's throat and he swallowed hard. He didn't dare look at Lewis now.

"Don't tell me you haven't wanted this." Morgause sat next to him, and Arthur's skin crawled as she laid a hand on his leg. "I may not have seen everything that happened, but I know how much time you spent with her. She may have chosen Lewis, but it was her mistake. I always meant for her to get to know you quite a bit better. I even moved her to your school." She put a hand to his face, and he fought to keep from vomiting. "It took me until Phoebe to find your family again, but I did. I've seen you look at her. Now, you can have her."

"And then you'll kill me when you have what you want. I know how this works."

"Perhaps I'll let you live. But this is your only chance. If you don't," She smiled sweetly. "Well, I think Lewis is losing a bit of control, don't you? I'd be more than happy to leave the three of you alone."

Arthur finally turned toward Lewis. He was still frozen in place, but his hair glowed like a pink sunset, a fiery bomb just waiting to explode.

He knew what he had to do.

He pasted a grin to his face, trying to keep it from hanging too crookedly. "Well. I guess it's about time. Might as well get some before I go, yeah?"

"That's the spirit." She stroked his face, and he pulled his face back slowly.

"I need to grab a few things, if you don't mind. I get the feeling my house is about to be ashes, and a fella's just gotta have a few things, even if it's for a short go."

Morgause made a dismissive gesture, and Arthur stood. He walked past Mystery, not making eye contact, and into his bedroom. He grabbed his wallet, checking to make sure his ID and cards were inside, before slipping it into his pocket. Grabbing a backpack, he went into his workshop. He grabbed a few key tools, jamming them in, along with his laptop and charger. Back to his bedroom for a change of clothes- _Maybe I should take Lewis seriously about organization someday_ -and scanned the area briefly.

_Nothing that can't be replaced._

He returned to the living room, pausing to pry Lewis' locket out of Mrs. P's now cold and stiff hand. "Maybe we can smash it later." He forced a laugh. "Always was waiting for a chance to get rid of him."

"I can no longer do that, as I granted the locket in exchange for Vivi. But I would enjoy watching you do so."

Arthur slipped the locket into his pocket. _One down._ He turned back to Morgause. "We anchored Vivi's soul to a locket too, just in case. But I don't think that's going to happen, you seem pretty determined, and Vivi never looked twice at me anyway." The words felt like acid in his mouth. "You wouldn't happen to be able to see where Lewis is hiding it? I might as well take that one t-too, put them out of their misery together."

Morgause peered at Lewis, inspecting him for a few moments before raising a finger, pointing at his breast pocket. The blue force binding him parted just over the pocket, and Arthur reached into Lewis' pocket, retrieving the necklace. For a moment, his facade almost slipped. The locket glowed a soft, gentle blue. He slipped it into his pocket.

_Now to finish it._

He stood, taking a last look around, before turning to Morgause. She stood, and he was repulsed to see Vivi's shirt pulled lower than it had been a moment before. "Come, Vivi's apartment will do well, and is easier to fortify against unwelcome intrusions."

He took a deep breath. "Actually Morgause, you're going home alone."

Her smile froze. "What?"

"You really think you can kill my best friend, steal her body, and put the moves on me? I don't know how you got this twisted, but you can shove off to the deepest p-p-pits of hell."

Her expression darkened. "Very well. I don't need your consent." She reached a hand, glowing blue, toward Arthur's head. "I never have before."

Arthur stood firm, staring her straight in the eyes. "It doesn't matter. You'll never have another d-daughter again."

She frowned, pausing. "What do you mean?"

"Vivi sterilized herself. You're barren."

Morgause withdrew as if slapped. "It's not true. Vivi would never do such a thing. No woman…"

"Read it." He grabbed Vivi's journal, practically hurling it at Morgause's head. "Read it and weep. Or did you think you could go on forever? Vivi's smarter than you'll ever be."

"She wouldn't!" Morgause grabbed the book, practically tearing it open.

"I guess you didn't know your daughter very well." Arthur's voice was icy.

Morgause lifted her face, and for a moment Arthur trembled at the darkness in her expression.

"All procedures are reversible." Her voice grated. "They always have been, they always will be. Medicines or magic, it doesn't matter. I will undo what has been done, and I will have what I want. Burn, Arthur son of Uther. Burn in hell."

She threw the journal to the ground and stalked out the door, slamming it behind her. As the door closed, the fiery cords binding Mystery vanished, as did the force around Lewis.

Arthur turned, taking two steps and diving for Mystery, who curled tightly around him. And the world around them exploded in howls of rage and pink flame.


	14. The Next Step

When Mystery finally unwound from around Arthur, there was no building around them. Everything was ash and burnt blocks of stone and tinder, twisted metal still glowing white hot or red. The distant wail of sirens sounded, and Arthur had just enough time to sling his backpack on and grab his long package before Mystery deposited Arthur on his back. Arthur immediately bent flat to Mystery's neck, clutching his fur and trying not to think about how high off the ground they were about to be.

Staggering to four legs, Mystery turned and began loping down the street, picking up speed as he went. He angled for the edge of town, his legs beginning to pump faster and faster. Cars swerved as he dashed down the middle of the street, and the screams of the neighborhood trailed in his wake. Arthur clung to Mystery's fur with his robotic arm, gripping the package tightly with the other.

"Leave it!" Mystery barked. "We're going faster, don't you dare fall!" He bounded, his legs beginning to blur, and Arthur pressed himself completely into the Kitsune's fur, gripping with every part of his body but holding onto the package.

Mystery finally slowed, coming to a halt, and Arthur peeked over his arm. They'd returned to the desert. He could see a wide, black circle scorched into the sand, and shuddered. "Did we have to come here?"

Mystery shook him off, and for a moment, everything stopped because he was falling. He hit the ground a second later and curled up on his side, eyes wide, inhaling huge gasps of air. Mystery had begun to pace, but Arthur was finding it hard to focus on him.

"Yes, we did." Mystery's voice was low and tight. "Do you know why? Because, Arthur, this is the nearest relatively spirit and human deserted place, and I have not one, not two, but _three_ souls bleeding everywhere. Lewis' locket was already damaged, but it was just barely seeping and didn't attract any attention. Vivi was no cause for concern, I just had to keep an eye on _you_. Now Lewis' anchor is damaged to the point where he's practically gushing energy, and she tore Vivi's soul!"

Everything came into sharp focus quite suddenly as Arthur's heart stopped. He recalled the motion Morgause had made on first taking her body. "She did what?"

"She tore Vivi's soul wide open!" Mystery's head tossed in agitation. "Do you understand every ghoul and demon in a hundred mile radius knows where you are, and what your states are? Have you ever SEEN a soul sucked from its body or torn from its anchor?" He pawed at the sands angrily. "Idiot ghost! Where is he? Where is Lewis? I need to throw someone! He practically lit a beacon screaming, 'Here! We're in trouble, why don't you just come finish us off!' Fool!" Mystery snarled, thrashing the sands. "Where is he?"

Arthur tried to pull himself together as he scanned the area. Lewis was nowhere in sight, but the last time he'd seen an explosion of that magnitude, Lewis had mentioned being utterly spent. From his position on his side, he reached into his pocket, withdrawing the two lockets. One glowed a soft pink while the other pulsed blue. He closed his hands gently around the lockets, pulling them close to his chest. He curled up tightly as Mystery continued to rage.

"And you risked falling off by taking this garbage with you? What is this?" Mystery tore at the package viciously with his teeth, shredding it. He stared at the item that tumbled out. "What is that?"

A long cane lay in the sands, topped by a silver grinning skull. The length of it was black, with silver filigree etched into it.

"Saw you kept… having trouble walking… it's for your human form…" Arthur's breath was coming harder, the pain in his chest more insistent. "Maybe you should show off to Vivi… Lewis will like… will like the way it looks too, I bet… it'll be great, we can all go to the movies and hang out… and you can actually sit with us… and…"

A heavy paw settled on his shoulder. Arthur glanced up to see Mystery finally sitting, solemn, a subdued expression on his face.

"Mystery, you can fix-x this, tell me y-you can fix this." Arthur pleaded, his vision blurring. "Please. I'll do anything."

Mystery's paw slipped from Arthur's shoulder as he bowed his head. "I'm sorry Arthur. Healing souls is a long and careful process for me. I was never a soul healer, I am only just learning out of necessity. As for Morgause… I have said. She is beyond me."

Something in Arthur's chest gave way. He stood to his feet, placing both lockets in his flesh hand, and walked over to the bluff. Where he'd last seen Mystery being bashed against the rocks, he lifted his metal fist and began to slam it into stone.

"Idiot!" He screamed, cracking the metal as he continued his assault. "Useless worthless coward! You c-c-c-couldn't do anything useful! Just stood there and watched it happen!"

"Arthur-"

"Sh-sh-shut up Mystery! It's true! Lewis at least tried to save her! All I did was r-r-r-read a damn book all night and let that bat kill her, because I can't _do_ anything! What good is being A-A-Arthur's descendant if I can't measure up even h-half as much?"

He raised his arm again when a whiff of spicy peppers assaulted his nose, and his arm froze. A gentle warmth filled the hollow of his chest, and a ragged whisper sounded from his mouth.

"You. Did. Everything. You. Could. Now stop. You need. That. Arm."

Arthur looked down at his metal arm. Several fingers were crushed, the joints badly mangled and the wiring shredded from pounding it against the rocks. Slowly, he slipped back down to the sands, his chest still heaving.

"Lew, she… she…"

"We have her." His good arm lifted up, opening to reveal the two lockets. His thumb stroked the blue one tenderly. "We have her, Arthur. We'll figure. Something out." The hand slipped the lockets back in Arthur's pocket, and came around to rest on his opposing shoulder. "You did. Good. I'm sorry. About. The house."

"I don't care about the house." Arthur mumbled through gritted teeth. "I care about getting Vivi back. Did you _see_ what Morgause did?"

An image flashed in his mind, and he swallowed a cry. A transparent looking Vivi, caught between her own hands, being torn and broken, mangled like a paper doll before being thrown aside like garbage.

"Yes. I saw." Lewis' anger simmered in the background.

Arthur took a few deep breaths. Vivi would have been able to calm him down, set him straight, get him going again. But she wasn't here. She would have been able to get a plan going about what to do next. But she wasn't here. He couldn't rely on Vivi, and it wasn't Lewis' mess to fix. It started with _his_ family, with King Arthur and Morgause. And he had to fix it.

He turned toward Mystery, intending to ask a question, but fell silent. The kitsune was staring at him oddly, and scenting the air deeply as if trying to assess something. "What's g-going on?"

"I can't smell your bleed." Mystery stated, as if confounded by it. "I haven't stopped smelling your bleed since the cave-in a couple weeks back. It just stopped, and so did Lewis'."

Arthur frowned. "Well wh-what changed? Lew taking over me isn't new. What's new?"

"What's new?" Mystery tilted his head in thought. His eyes widened as comprehension lit his face. "What's new is that Lewis is bleeding too." He stood to his paws, poking his nose practically into Arthur's chest, snuffling. "Not a single scent… you two are…" He fumbled for words to explain. "It's almost like your souls are transfusions for each other. Arthur, recall Lewis mentioned recharging faster after being inside you? He was receiving transfusions from you, but you could only bleed. Now he is also wounded, and you are sealing each others wounds."

"I'm not doing anything!" Lewis protested.

"You don't have to. This has never happened before, I don't think it requires action." Mystery circled them, fascinated. "Just the presence of two wounded souls in one body."

Arthur put his head in his hands, his temples pounding. "You're the one here with the most knowledge about ghosts and spirits, Mystery. I need information. You say you c-can't go toe to toe with Morgause. Why? And give me something other than 'she h-has a bunch of spells'."

Mystery lay down with a heavy _whump_ alongside Arthur, nosing the cane between his paws to study it. "Recall when I battled with that Spirit here. How at first, I couldn't put a scratch on him. At that point, my powers were still bound and limited by Merlin, and his were not. A ghost or spirit or demon's power level is nearly akin to armor itself. I couldn't even break skin, but he could easily bleed me. When my seal broke, I was on even footing with him. I could make him bleed, break him back, and I was angrier than he could ever hope to be. Similarly, Lewis' flames couldn't even singe me, as he is nowhere near as powerful as I. Morgause is levels above either of us. It would take a spirit the same strength as her, or stronger, to do anything about this situation."

"A stronger spirit?" Arthur struggled to his feet, two hopes flaring in his chest. "Why didn't you say so? All we have to do is find a stronger spirit, and convince them to help."

"You say that as if it's easy." Mystery sounded exasperated. "At best most spirits are neutral toward humans, and there are a great deal that would happily-" He whirled, snapping his jaws shut mid-air.

"What?" Arthur tensed.

"Ghoul." Mystery ground his teeth together and spat in disgust, staring at something on the sands that Arthur couldn't see. "Vivi's still bleeding out."

Arthur shuddered. "Point taken, most spirits would happily take advantage. But there has to be something." He scratched his goatee. "What if we take this back? Like way b-back to the beginning?"

"What do you mean?" Mystery's eyes narrowed.

"Let's go to England." Arthur said simply. "It started there, maybe we'll find something."

"That's your plan?" Mystery asked, incredulous. "Just swoop into England and find some greater spirit and convince them to take on Morgause?"

"It's all I have right n-now, and right now I don't have a-anything to lose."

"How will you fund this, everything burned!" Mystery protested.

"I h-had a feeling Lewis was gonna blow. I grabbed a few things, w-we'll be okay. My o-only problem is I don't have any ID for your h-human form."

"That won't be an issue. Leave the security to me."

"Th-then I need you to get me b-back in wifi range, we're b-booking the next flight to England. Lew, you're g-gonna have to help me a lot. I get the feeling flying isn't g-gonna be as easy for me as it used to b-be."


	15. Across The Pond

"How's it working?" Arthur stood in line for the ticket counter, glancing sideways at Mystery. He stood alongside Arthur in human form, dressed in the spare set of clothes from the backpack. He favored his mechanical leg, leaning on the cane as he kept pace with Arthur.

"It works quite nicely. Thank you, it was a kind thought."

"You move a lot faster on that leg as a Kitsune." Arthur raised an eyebrow. "What's u-up with that?"

"Well I can't talk as a dog now, can I?"

"What does that have to do with your leg?"

"It means that the form I choose comes with certain limitations. As a Kitsune, I have the least limitations over my abilities. My leg doesn't pain me nearly as much, and I can treat the limb as my own much more easily. As a human or a dog, well. While it doesn't hurt as much thanks to that concoction," he made a face, "It still hurts, and is strange. I recall it took you quite awhile to adjust, and your limb went through several prototypes before you found one best suited to your needs."

Arthur grimaced. "Y-yeah. When we get b-back I'll see about working on a new one for y-you. This wasn't supposed to be your permanent one."

Mystery nodded. "I look forward to it. Also though," He gripped the cane tightly. "This form comes with an alternate center of gravity. It makes it that much more difficult to adjust."

"Point taken." Arthur noted as they walked up to the ticket counter.

"I.D." The lady at the counter sighed boredly.

Arthur handed his over, typing in his information into the screen to print his boarding pass.

"Yours too." She intoned, staring pointedly at Mystery as she handed Arthur's back.

As Arthur made to put his ID in his pocket, Mystery passed his hand by Arthur's, grabbing his ID. His brows came together as he raised the card, which now had a different face and new information on it.

"Mhmm." She glanced at it and waved them on. The machine spat out their boarding passes, and Mystery handed the card back to Arthur as the two of them hurried off.

"Illusion?" Arthur checked.

"It's been awhile since I've cast a full illusion, but I can manage an identification request."

"Yeah well we've got another prob-blem. You m-might need to t-take off that leg soon. There's a button n-near the top if you do." He stopped at the scanner, waving an attendant over. "Hey, my f-friend and I have prosthetics, metal ones. Wh-what do we have to do?"

"Just come with me, we'll wand you down."

Mystery rolled his eyes. "If they even knew, metal would be the least of their worries." He muttered.

Arthur dropped his backpack onto the conveyer belt and the two of them followed the attendant, who sat them down and had them remove their prosthetics. The limbs were carried off for inspection as the attendant began waving the wand over them. The wand blipped over Arthur's pocket, and he froze.

"Sir, could you empty your pockets?"

Slowly, Arthur pulled the lockets out. One glowed bright blue, the other a deep purple. "Um, science experiment." He said weakly. "I mean, presents for my nieces. They, um, love glowy jewelry for raves."

The attendant inspected them, suddenly interested. "I've never seen anything quite like these before."

Sweat broke out on Arthur's forehead. "Yeah, um, no big deal, I just make these all the time in my spare time."

"Really?" Her face lit up. "Do you have an Etsy? I've got a daughter who'd kill for something like this."

Arthur almost choked on relief. "Oh, yeah. It's, um, j-just look up Roboworks." He couldn't help wondering if he'd have to make an Etsy to prevent the TSA from hunting him down.

"Will do." Another agent returned with their limbs, and they reattached them swiftly, making for their gate.

"An Etsy?" Mystery grinned wryly at Arthur. "Really?"

"Sh-shut up, what was I supposed to say? When is our flight an-nyway?"

Mystery squinted at a nearby screen. "According to that readout, it started boarding ten minutes ago."

"Crap!" Arthur grabbed Mystery's hand, hurrying him along as they aimed for the correct gate.

They barely reached the gate in time, and were waved into the plane. As Arthur reached the doorway to the plane, he froze, one foot raised. He could see the crack between the extended boarding hallway and the plane, and the ground quite a ways below.

"Ah…. I…." He swallowed.

"I got this." Came out of his mouth, as his leg came down, and his body walked itself into the plane, settling into the aisle seat near the relatively empty rear of the plane. Mystery pushed past him to take the window seat.

"Now that we're all aboard," a rather irritated voice came over the loudspeaker, "We should be ready for takeoff in a few minutes. Please take a moment to listen as your flight attendants explain what to do in the unlikely event of an emergency evacuation, or if the plane should begin losing altitude."

Arthur balked, turning completely inward and shutting out the world as Lewis assumed full control, shielding his senses from the pantomime. "How does this _not_ bother you?" He questioned Lewis. "You fell first."

"Yeah, but I only fell once, and I can't die again."

"But you can still be targeted." Mystery turned to him, ignoring the flight attendant. "All ghosts can, which is why I need you to give me Vivi's locket."

Arthur's hand tightened into a fist, his damaged robotic hand touching his pocket out of habit. "Why is that?" Lewis' voice was dangerously quiet.

"Because, Lewis, you're a powerful ghost but you're still a common spirit. Through any disguise I take on, I am still read on sight as a high ranking spirit. There are few common spirits who would dare try and steal a possession of mine."

"She's not your possession." Lewis growled. "She told _me_ to hold onto her locket, to keep her safe."

Mystery's eyes narrowed. "Now you listen," he said harshly, "Of course Vivi is not my possession, she's nobody's possession, but you're working with _my_ rules now, and in the spirit world, you do not try and steal from a stronger spirit, whether that be prey or possession. At this point, I do not care if common spirits think she is my prey _OR_ my possession, because in either case they will not try to take her, lest they become prey themselves. You, Lewis, could hold off one or two ghouls perhaps, and take on a few ghosts. But they will come, and keep coming, and keep coming, and then what will you do?"

Arthur's body tensed, and he reached out to Lewis in his mind. "I trust him, Lewis. He c-cares for her too, you g-gotta know that. He just shows it diff-ferently."

Lewis looked down to the locket, still hesitant, Vivi's words replaying in his mind.

"You know wh-what she'd say now, Lew. She didn't know wh-what Morgause was going to do to her."

Lewis stroked the locket gently, before reluctantly handing it to Mystery. Mystery took it, almost reverently, and held it in his hand. "Besides," he murmured, almost to himself, "I can use this flight to see if there's anything that can be done for her state. I hope you both know I would never willingly harm her. Besides," Air whuffed heavily from his nostrils as he sighed. "She is, in a twisted way, also of King Arthur's line, therefore also my responsibility."

"When are you gonna drop the 'responsib-b-bility' line?" Arthur asked, annoyance creeping in. "You're free."

Mystery raised his eyebrow. "Weren't you the one just telling Lewis that I show my care differently than you?"

Arthur sank back, sheepish. "P-point taken." The plane jerked backward, and Arthur's fingers dug into the armrests.

"Fade back, I got this." Lewis asserted himself fully again, and Arthur sank into a blissful cocoon away from his senses.

…...

"Arthur."

Arthur reluctantly edged back into his senses at Lewis' prompting. "What?"

"Arthur, I really need you to check on Mystery." Lewis was tense, fixing their eyes on his companion. Mystery's face was scrunched tightly, light beads of sweat on his forehead, his hand closed around Vivi's locket. He seemed to be straining, a low whine escaping him every now and then.

Arthur took a deep breath. "Okay, you just keep my body looking normal, okay? Sometimes weird stuff happens around Mystery." He reached out, laying a hand on Mystery's shoulder. "Hey, Mys-"

Arthur's world spun as everything went dark. He caught his breath as he steadied himself. A small blur darted past him in the pitch black, then skidded to a halt. "Arthur?" Mystery panted from four legs. "What… are you…"

"Mommy…" A frightened voice sobbed in the darkness.

Mystery turned, bolting for the voice as fast as he could. Arthur dashed after him. "Wait, what's going on?"

"Shh, you'll scare her off!" Mystery stumbled, tripping and falling. He groaned, trying to push himself up. "I can't bring the pieces together."

"Pieces? Where are we?" Arthur knelt by Mystery, pulling him up.

"That's a more complicated answer than the last time I did this." Mystery took a second to catch his breath. "Last time, you had a body, and I was anchoring your soul back together inside of that body. Vivi has no body, and I can't risk anchoring her more strongly to the locket if we want her to eventually return. So I am trying to draw the pieces back together, but without a firm anchor…" He gave a snarl of frustration, "It's next to impossible. It's not my function, I don't know how to do this! I need a healer!"

"Mommy…" The cry sounded again in the darkness, and Mystery hung his head, lowering himself to lie down.

"I'm only one spirit and I couldn't watch all his lines." Mystery said quietly. "Most of them died off. And this one suffered horribly. I failed this part of his family, and perhaps the one that needed me more."

"You kn-know Morgause would have gotten rid of you, and kept o-on going." Arthur stroked his head gently. "You g-gotta stop this. We all know you're trying. We all know you care about Vivi too. I'm sure Lewis does, he's j-just… y'know."

"Mommy!" A flash of blue blurred past Arthur. He turned, throwing an arm out to catch it as it passed. It was a little girl, around age six, with blue hair. She turned, beating on his arm, crying. "You're not Mommy, stoppit, where'd you put Mommy? I want my Mommy!"

He swallowed hard and held her still. "Hey, hey it's okay, calm down. Vivi, look at me, it's Arthur. Remember me?"

The girl looked up at him, her face wet with tears and shook her head, still squirming. "I dunno you, where's my Mommy? She went away, she's still here, but…" She struggled for words, trying to find a way to explain why her mommy was there, but not her mommy.

"I know. I met your Mommy, I understand."

Her eyes widened. "You know?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I know."

"Can you find my Mommy?" She gripped his arms. "You bring her back?"

Arthur glanced at Mystery to see if there was any chance, and received only a solemn shake of the head. "I'm sorry Vivi, I can't bring her back. But I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure you're safe, okay? Me and Lewis and Mystery."

"Who?" She asked, as if shocked, before disappearing out of Arthur's grip.

"Vivi!" He reached after her.

"Don't bother." Mystery's voice was ragged with exhaustion. "Anytime I get ahold of a piece, that's what happens. I can't hold on long enough to stick them together. She needs a real healer."

Arthur bit his lip. "Well. I'll add that to the list then. In the m-meantime, can you get me back before Lewis pitches a fit and sends the plane down in flames?" He shuddered. "I'd pr-refer to not evacuate midair."


	16. A Quick Jaunt

"So, Arthur, what did we learn about booking hotels in other countries?" Mystery asked, peeved as he sat back on the rather lumpy bed.

"Read ALL the reviews first, I got it." Arthur muttered, slumping into a rickety chair and disconnecting his robotic arm. "Can you be on research? I have to fix this."

Mystery shook his head, reaching for the knapsack and pulling out the laptop. The wifi loaded at grindingly slow speeds, but the fact that there was a connection there at all impressed him. The carpet had burn marks, and the walls smelt strongly of smoke. The blankets were dubious to say the least, and the toilet threatened to clog at the least disturbance.

"What am I researching? And how is Lewis holding up?" Mystery smirked slightly, knowing it was now the ghost's turn to try and tune out his senses, due to the state of their living quarters.

"He says 'shut up stupid mutt' and if that l-locket has one scratch on it when he gets back he'll fry one of your tails off." Arthur began working carefully at the fingers on his arm. "He's just w-worried about her."

Mystery rolled his eyes, but his hand slipped into the inner pocket of his vest, fingertips brushing the heart. He'd questioned the frequent habit Arthur had of touching the anchors, but he understood now. He had to be sure it was still there, that it hadn't vanished, taking Vivi with it forever.

He could tell Arthur was worried too. The way his eyes would dart over to the part of the vest that held the locket. The way he would ask, as casually as possible, if the bleed had lessened. He couldn't give the human any reassurances. Every time Mystery closed his eyes, he saw a small blue child run past, screaming for her mother, or a young lady in blue, frantically trying to change a fate written in stone. A line of women weeping for the lives they would be denied, and the daughters they were forced to curse.

As if he didn't have enough to regret, he thought bitterly. He couldn't help a creeping resentment toward the ancient mage who bound him, and not for the binding itself.

_If you were so powerful, if you could see into the future, why could you not forsee I would need more than my own strength?_

"So, off the top of your h-head, you know anybody?" Arthur asked over his shoulder.

"Nobody that is willing to help, or willing to speak with me. Recall, Arthur, I was not what you would call a benevolent spirit." Mystery pulled up a word document, typing out a few names to consider. "So those that were wanted nothing to do with me. And the circles I moved in would never help you."

"Okay, wh-what about the circles that won't t-talk to you? They might talk to me. Oh, is M-Merlin still around?" Arthur lifted his head hopefully.

Mystery's teeth ground together. "Hardly. He was powerful beyond what any mortal should have been, but he was still mortal, curse him."

Arthur ducked his head back down quickly, and Mystery regretted his snappishness. "I just don't see what being here will do for her, or you."

"Maybe w-we'll run into someone who knows something. Castle r-ruins probably have a lot of ghosts h-hanging around. Lot of regrets and r-reasons to stay?" Arthur tested the fingers, bending them carefully, then shaking his head and applying the tools again. "Ghosts m-maybe that were there. Know wh-what's going on. We can start getting clues. D-do you know where Arthur's castle was?"

Mystery shook his head. "It's been far too long, and the entire countryside has changed. But that is what the internet is for." He refocused on the laptop, searching. After a few minutes, he mused, "Seems there are a few, but…" he clicked on a link, peering at the image. "This one, I believe. It's been centuries but…" He glanced over at the cracked plastic face of the nearby alarm clock. "Perhaps as you sleep I will go see if it is the correct place."

"Not on your life!" Arthur spun around, his eyes glowing purple. "You're not going anywhere without us, especially not with her!"

Mystery took in a slow, deep breath. "Lewis, you are trying my patience."

Arthur shook his head, his eyes fading back to brown. "He's right Mystery. I'd r-rather we stick together anyway. Bad things happen when we spl-lit up."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Arthur reached into his pocket and produced Lewis' heart. "Can I?" He asked quietly, pausing for a moment before nodding and clicking it open carefully.

"Was k-kinda curious what you'd keep in yours, but I sh-shouldn't be surprised." Arthur traced the edges of the photo gingerly. "I just wanna go back to the way things were." His voice was almost a whisper. "I don't need all this. I just… I want my friends back." He closed his eyes for a moment, before shutting the locket and replacing it. "I say we go there tonight, together. W-worst that can happen is, it's the wrong place, and we get sp-spectral directions to another castle."

"Our princess is in another castle?" Lewis offered.

"That was t-terrible Lew."

"It got you to smile a little."

"Whatever."

Arthur managed a couple more hours of repairs before his body gave out, leaving him passed out over the scarred, pitted desk. Mystery dozed lightly off and on until evening. When the sun slipped below the horizon and the city began to glow, he headed out into the night, returning with a bag full of something hot that smelled enticing, and set it beside Arthur's face.

Arthur's nose wrinkled, his hand automatically reaching for the bag even before his eyes opened. "You got food?" the stub of his arm twitched, and he grimaced as he remembered his prosthetic was still in repairs. His good hand carefully reached into the bag, pulling out a styrofoam bowl of some sort. "What is it?"

"Chicken Korma." At Arthur's blank expression, Mystery sighed. "It's a curry, just eat. We have a long evening ahead."

….

"So, what exac-ctly are we d-doing on the roof?" Arthur stood in the exact center of the roof of the hotel, expression pinched and pale as Mystery stripped down and stretched into his full Kitsune form. He nosed the clothes into Arthur's backpack, the cane sticking out the top.

"Getting from here to the castle quickly and without questions." He lifted Arthur onto his back, and Arthur moaned, closing his eyes and clinging tightly. Mystery paused, he could feel that Arthur's robotic hand wasn't grasping as tightly as before, and perhaps it couldn't yet. Unwilling to risk Arthur falling off because he couldn't hang on properly, Mystery turned his head around, gingerly grabbing Arthur in his mouth.

"Wh-what? Are you k-k-kidding?"

Mystery just shook his head, crouching down low before bolting forward. He tore across the rooftop, leaping to the next before Arthur could even draw breath to scream. A light purple glow enveloped Arthur's head, and he fell silent.

 _More patience with Lewis from now on, and thank him for his help._ The Kitsune noted to himself.

He exuded a mild distortion illusion. To anyone looking up he appeared as a strange black shadow in the night sky, one easily dismissed and shrugged off. The wind ripped through his fur, and he couldn't help a slight thrill as he drew in great breaths through his nostrils, greeted by the familiar scents that drifted in past the city smog and bustle. He could smell the haunts in the secret ruins scattered the countryside. The gathering places of ancient warriors still clashing with each other long after their bodies had disintegrated. And as the distance between the rooftops increased, he could even smell the great winding waterways all around and under the earth, running with laughter and healing and unfettered joy for life. Something niggled at the back of his mind, but he was running, and he was home, and he almost let loose a wild howl of joy, only stopped by the limp, frightened form he carried in his mouth.

_I'd forgotten how much I missed home._

He bounded out across the moors and plains, his great paws tearing up the earth as he blurred across the land. In this manner, they came upon the ruins of the castle in a matter of minutes.

Mystery finally slowed, pulling to a halt and gingerly setting Arthur down. His eyes glowed a fierce purple, as if it was all Lewis could do to keep him from shrieking his sanity away. Mystery's ears drooped as he realized he had gotten a little carried away. Gingerly he laid down, pulling Arthur closer and cradling him between his foreleg and neck, waiting for him to calm down. Wouldn't do to have the king return to his halls half-crazed with fear.

Mystery grunted, correcting himself. _Arthur is not the King. But I brought the King's heir home._ His tails thumped the earth as he allowed himself a measure of pride. _That has to count for something._


	17. The Castle Ruins

Being carried in Mystery's mouth was worse than the plane, Arthur decided firmly. No buckle, no illusion that everything is stable, no floor. Just being whisked along several feet above ground like a ragdoll and ending up on the other end wheezing, shaking, and slobbered on.

But then he felt Mystery come to a stop, and set him down, and hold him. Most of his body was covered by the furball, and he could feel every part of himself in the warmth and pressure of Mystery's face, and his mind understood he was alive and whole and safe. And the horror began to fade.

He breathed in and out, feeling his lungs expand to the breaking point before releasing the air slowly, repeating this over and over until his muscles unclenched. He wiggled an arm free, patting Mystery's face gently. "I'm o-okay. Where a-a-are we?"

Mystery raised his head. "I wasn't positive from the images online, as I said it has been a long time, but this is the place." His voice was wistful, and he stood slowly. Arthur used the Kitsune's front leg to pull himself up and glanced around.

It was obvious this was a once grand location. One or two towers still stood, precarious stacks of stone that resembled somebody's abandoned game of Jenga with great, gaping holes and missing segments that made it appear on the verge of falling apart at the next strong breeze. Broken down walls outlined great halls and stone courtyards from ages past, and all about were strewn massive hewn stones.

Arthur glanced up at Mystery. "You okay b-buddy?"

"I'll be fine." Mystery's tails swished, and he padded up into the stone courtyard, Arthur close on his heels. Mystery's head swung around, his nose pointing to a darkened corner. He sniffed briefly, then barked a short laugh.

"Wh-what?"

"Banshee." Mystery sniggered, padding forward. "It's horribly confused by you three and doesn't know what to do."

Lewis chuckled darkly in Arthur's mind, and Arthur smiled, waving at the corner in pity as they walked on. On past metal scraps and tattered shreds of cloth from some ancient rug, barely visible due to rust and Dirt. On over the weedchoked flagstones. On past crumbling pillars depicting glorious battles and heroic escapades.

"S-so, anybody around to ask stuff?" Arthur looked around, a little awed.

"I smell someone, but they keep darting off." Mystery eyed Arthur dubiously. "Lewis can you keep an eye on him if I go catch the ghost?"

"We'll be fine." Arthur's palms glowed with purple flame. "And where do you have Vivi?"

Mystery turned toward him, and Arthur could see the locket looped tightly around Mystery's collar. "Safe. Stay safe yourselves, I will return." He bounded off, tails flying behind him.

Arthur walked over to what could have once been a fountain, or a shallow well of some sort, and sat on the lip, looking around. "So, all this used to be in the family?" He mused. "N-never would'a guessed. Don't s'pose th-they'd let me have it now, p-probably some historical preserve."

"And what are you going to say? 'Hi, I'm King Arthur's heir. He was real by the way, and he was guarded by a GIGANTIC FOX SPIRIT!" Lewis flung Arthur's arm out wildly as he stood, gesticulating with a booming voice. "Can you not see it? Of course they will all fall down on their faces, weeping at their mistake. Yes, King Arthur, come once again and rule us as you once did!" Both Arthur's arms spread out in a grand embracing of the world at large. "Rule us with your mighty iron fist of doom!"

"You're a jerk." Arthur laughed, his shoulders shaking. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah, but you're laughing." One arm came around to grip his own shoulder. "Worth being a little bit of a jerk over."

Arthur's eyes stung as he smiled. "You and Viv are the best friends a guy could ask for. And Mystery. So let's get her back, yeah?" He glanced around. "Can you see any other spirits?"

"No," Lewis frowned, tugging them off balance toward a barely standing wall. "But something's glowing over there. Just a little." They approached the wall. A thick tangle of vines grew all over the stones and through every crack and flaw. He reached forward, yanking at the vines. "Careful!" Lewis exclaimed as a section of some blackened cloth fell off from behind the vines. "Let me try something." Arthur's hands glowed slightly, just enough so that the vines began to wither. He moved them across the plant covering, working his way in a straight line across. Carefully he began tugging at them, and they broke more easily.

As they cleared more and more, they could make out a thick black cloth. Lewis made a sound of disgust as the scent of mold assaulted their nostrils, and they realized the cloth probably wasn't naturally black.

"Got a w-way of clearing this, f-flame brain?" Arthur gestured at it.

"Maybe I don't have to." He squinted at it, and as he did, Arthur began to see flashes of the glow Lewis had mentioned. Here and there it shimmered, outlines of figures and trees, but only a line or two at a time before they dimmed and another line or two flashed.

"What?" Arthur asked, confused. "What's going on?"

"There's something about it…. I think it's a tapestry… but something in it is reacting." Lewis put a hand out, gingerly touching the cloth and trying not to gag. And the glowing exploded outward, all lines defined and shining through the blackness.

Arthur sucked in a breath. The tapestry depicted a young man kneeling on the banks of what appeared to be a lake, arms outstretched and open, as if to receive some great gift. Standing over him was a beautiful woman, her hair like a waterfall, her eyes like flint, arms outstretched toward him. And in her arms, laying across them, was a magnificent sword, wrought with gems and gold and silver.

"Is that what I think it is?" Arthur asked, wide-eyed.

"You tell me." Lewis was subdued as well. "But it sure looks like it. Did we even think about Excalibur?"

Arthur's eyes traveled from the sword to the woman holding it, his eyes widening further. "No… but what about her? Who is she?"

"I think the sword was given to Arthur by the Lady of the Lake." Lewis pulled their hand back, wiping it on their pants in disgust. "Sorry, can't anymore."

"Who is she?" Arthur demanded. "That sounds like a powerful someone, and she was giving this sword to Arthur, she's gotta be on his side right?"

"Could be, but I don't like the look on her face Arthur. Take it slow, let's ask Mystery."

"Ask Mystery what?" The Kitsune stood behind them, a frantic-looking spirit pinned under his claws.

"The Lady of the Lake!" Arthur turned to Mystery. "This tapestry is of her giving Excalibur to Arthur."

Mystery's eyes focused on the black cloth, his mouth opening in surprise. "I see nothing."

Groaning, Lewis planted their hand back on the cloth, watching as it lit up. Mystery sucked in a breath. "I passed this all the time but… this happened before me. He already had Excalibur."

"Sounds like you've all found something particularly fascinating to talk about," The trapped spirit quailed. "If you wouldn't mind releasing me I'll be on my way now."

"Not so quickly Griflet." Mystery's eyes narrowed. "You're still here, and that means you're having a problem moving on. You're still here, and we need answers, especially him."

The frightened looking spirit peered up at Arthur. "Who's he?"

"Arthur's heir."

The spirit gaped, then moaned, twisting and writhing. "M'lord, I did as you asked, but it burdens me still. Why would you make me do such a thing?"

Arthur stared at him, confounded. "What did I make you do?"

"Your dying wish sire," The spirit moaned. "You had me cast your sword back into the lake from whence it came."


	18. A Ghostly Confession

"I'm getting real t-tired of being mistaken for the King." Arthur grumbled. "I know you've been dead for centuries and all, but s-s-seriously, even Mystery says I look nothing like him!"

"I wouldn't bother Arthur. Ghosts that linger as long as he has lose their ability to change their minds much." Mystery kept a firm hold on the ghost.

"I know you. Demon dog, always at the king's heels." The ghost panted. "Leave off of me, I haven't harmed the King! I only ever did what he told me! Tell him, sire!"

Arthur groaned in frustration and took a step forward. "Fine. How about you rem-mind me, cause my memory is just a little hazy. I told you to throw the sword in the l-lake, why did I do that?"

"That's what I've been asking myself, sire, for many years, why would you have me throw it away? It was a simple enough sword, but there was something about it Sire. I didn't want to cast it off."

"Well obviously you did though. Have you seriously been hang-ging around this long because you feel bad about throwing my sword away?"

Griflet nodded miserably. "There was something about it…"

Arthur sighed. "Well, look, hold that thought okay? I gotta talk to Mys… demon dog over here. What about the tapestry? The lady?"

Mystery tilted his head, eyeing the blackened cloth. "I was not there when he received the sword. He already had it when I was bound to him. He told tales of how it was given to him by a lake spirit, but he was prone to exaggeration. Never one to pass up a good tale. To be honest, I didn't believe him."

"It's so hard to believe he came across another spirit?" Lewis raised their eyebrows.

"No, but a water spirit handing out a sword to a human is beyond unusual. If you'd ever met a water spirit, it would make sense."

"So you…" Arthur gestured at the ghost.

"Griflet, sire." The ghost groveled.

"Grif-flet, did you ever see this lady he talked about?"

"Never sire, he did love a tale."

"So I just heard. Do you know where the lake is?"

"Oh sire," the ghost moaned, "I have retraced my steps there and back every day since then. I could guide you in my sleep, if I slept anymore."

Arthur gestured toward a hole in a crumbling section of a nearby wall. "Then take us there. Something t-tells me I need that sword, s-so then maybe you can rest once I f-fix my mistake."

Mystery's muzzle swung toward Athur and he leaped back. "That's-okay-I-can-walk-thank-you!" He blurted. Mystery flicked an ear and released Griflet, who scrambled up, sweeping deep bows.

"Thank you sire, bless you sire, come this way. I'll show you the way sire." He paused for a moment as he rose, frowning. "Sire, you have another companion?" He gestured behind Arthur.

Arthur turned to see what Griflet was pointing at, but saw nothing. Mystery, on the other hand, let out a low growl.

"How long has that been there?" He bounded forward, jaws snapping on air. He leaped forward again, as if chasing something he'd just missed, darting after some unseen spirit. He halted, raising his head and sniffing the air as Arthur stared in bewilderment. The kitsune spat a foul sounding word, before growling, "It was a ghoul again, but it wasn't attacking, and it smelt of _her._ "

Arthur's stomach turned. "So she knows?"

"We must leave now. It vanished, who knows what news it will bear back to her, and how much time we have left."

Arthur shut his eyes, holding his arms stiffly at his sides. "Then b-better take the M-M-Mystery express, I guess…"

….

Arthur found that if he focused on the feeling of Mystery's teeth, he didn't think so much about falling on spikes, and that focusing on the sound of Griflet bemoaning the undignified mode of transport for his liege lord was funny enough to drown out the sound of the wind rushing past his head.

Eventually, he felt solid ground beneath his feet again, and sank to his knees, grasping handfuls of dirt in gratitude. He felt his lungs moving to take in air slowly, letting it out at the same rate. _I'll never be able to pay Lew back for all this help._

"Let's just get Vivi back and call it even." Lewis sighed, sitting Arthur upright to face Griflet. They had stopped at the foot of a little rocky hill. Griflet hovered right at the base, looking anxious.

"I don't see a l-lake anywhere." Arthur struggled to his feet. "Where's the l-lake?"

"Ah, sire, there's the rub." Griflet hovered sideways, mincing. " 'Twas your secret place. You told me where, Sire, and once I'd done the deed I tried to come back to retrieve the sword, but I could not." He gestured at the hill. "The entrance was here, sire, but when I returned, it was not."

Mystery lowered his nose, sniffing around the area. "I can smell water. And air moving here." He indicated a solid-looking wall. "But I can't see an opening." He sounded disturbed.

"Th-that's okay buddy, I can't see anything either."

"But I _should_ be able to see it, even a cloaked opening should be visible to me." He shook his head. "Something's not right with this."

"I swear this is the place." Griflet quavered.

Arthur walked forward, placing his hand against the stone wall. His hand sank through the stone up to the elbow. He pulled back with a yelp, staring at his hand.

"Did you feel that?" He asked Lewis.

"How couldn't I?" Lewis shivered. "You had full control of everything on the other side of that wall, it pushed me back."

Arthur paused. "It didn't hurt y-you did it?"

"No, it's like a cold shock."

"I don't like it, Arthur." Mystery was still growling, nosing near the hidden opening. He nudged the place in the wall where Arthur's arm had passed through, and bumped his nose against solid rock. "I don't like it. It could be a trap. We need to find another way."

"There might not be another w-way. And it makes sense. I'm A-Arthur's descendant, yeah? All this ghostly spirit stuff, it reacts to me cause I've got a right to b-be here, right? Is that how it works?"

Mystery whined his irritation. "That is an oversimplification, but more or less."

Arthur reached into his pocket, turning to Griflet. "I'm gonna go get my s-sword back." He said firmly. "Thank you G-griflet. You did a good job sh-showing me where to go. Don't worry, I'll make sure to take care of it this time."

Griflet released a long, slow sigh, a smile creeping across his face. "Thank you sire. There's just something about that sword…" and then he was gone.

Arthur pulled Lewis' locket out, turning to Mystery, who immediately balked. "If you think for one moment that I am going to accept that locket when it means you're walking into gods-know-where with a wide-open bleeding soul and NO protection you are sadly, sadly mistaken."

"He's right Arthur." Lewis crossed their arms firmly. "Not going anywhere. We'll just have to find another way."

"M-maybe you didn't hear M-Mystery earlier but we might not have time. If Morg-gause knows what we're up do, neither does V-vivi."

"We'll find another way!" Lewis insisted.

"L-lew."

"What?"

"Get out."

There was a lengthy pause, as Lewis reeled slightly. "Wh….what?"

"Out. You pr-promised you'd never m-make me do something I w-wouldn't want to d-do. Now you're kee-eeping me from doing s-something I know is im-mportant. Get out."

And then Lewis was in front of him, staring down with a shocked expression. "Arthur, you can't be serious! It's dangerous."

"I kn-know. And not just for me." Arthur assessed Lewis' flickering form grimly. "Listen, the f-faster I get in and out, the f-faster we stop bleeding out." He handed Lewis' locket back to him. "I'll be right back. Look after Mystery."

Mystery snorted. "I'm not the one to worry about, I'm not bleeding. You'd better be out of that cave in ten minutes, Arthur, or I'm tearing it down around your ears."

"Yes Mom." Arthur rolled his eyes, plunging through the illusion, chased by Mystery's indignant growl. He paused for a moment.

_Was it just me, or did Lewis look different?_

He shrugged. He had other things to worry about, and limited time. There was a dim light up ahead, and he groped toward it.


	19. Sunken Treasure

Lewis watched from his perch in a tree branch as Mystery paced back and forth below. He could hear the Kitsune counting off the seconds as he timed Arthur's absence. He couldn't blame Mystery. Lewis had hardly let Arthur out of his sight since their reunion, and it was hard seeing him go off alone. Not that he thought Arthur was helpless, but… well yes. That's exactly what he thought.

Whenever he went back over the night he died, he couldn't help wondering how he could have gotten events so twisted up. Arthur had been creeped out by the cave, the last one in, practically shadowing Lewis every step of the way. He'd never been overly enthusiastic about the idea of ghost busting, but Vivi's excitement was always hard to say no to. The idea that someone like Arthur would have the nerve-much less the desire-to push Lewis over the cliff was absurd. And every time he recalled these things to mind, shame was hot on his heels.

Arthur needed protection, simple as that. He even _knew_ it, but he'd still rejected it. With a growing sense of unease, Lewis wondered if dying had affected Arthur more than he'd guessed or been able to sense. He sighed, staring down at his knees. He'd just have to trust Arthur could take care of himself for another… seven minutes. He could do that, right? Just seven minutes…

Lewis started, shouting, "Mystery!"

Mystery's head swung around. "What? What is it?"

"What is this?" Lewis pointed at his knees. Suddenly his volume tripled as he stared at his hands. "WHAT IS THIS?"

Mystery trotted over, rearing up and bracing his forelegs against the trunk of the tree to get a better look. He snorted, eyes widening. "Lewis…"

Lewis had always had a glow to him, a faint purple outline that pulsed in time with his heart. The faint purple outline had changed, flaring a deep orange, still pulsing.

"Your hair too." Mystery stared, distracted for a moment by the change. "Just the very tips, orange. This is most fascinating. It seems there are side effects to staunching each others' bleeds, I can't imagine what Arthur's soul looks like. I wonder if I could get a peek."

"Not if it means taking him out of his body!" Lewis glared at Mystery.

"It wouldn't hurt!" Mystery whined. "I just want to know… and how long has it been?" He dropped back down to four paws, returning to pace. "I've lost count. I'm giving him two more minutes."

Lewis returned to staring at his hands, twisting them backwards and forwards. "So weird." He muttered. "That had better be all that changed. If I start leaving things laying around everywhere, I'll kill him." He paused, grinning to himself. "If he starts picking things up and putting them away, though, might be worth it."

"Lewis."

The dark note in Mystery's voice jerked Lewis' head up. Mystery's nose was in the air, his nostrils flaring, and a grim light in his eyes. "Company. Can't tell how many. They're almost here."

Lewis resituated himself on the branch, now crouching on it. Deadbeats poured out of his neck hollow, circling silently. He could feel himself flickering, but braced himself for a fight.

"You're in no condition to fight, you know that?" Mystery shot a glance at him.

"I'll do what I can." Lewis trained his eyes upward, and so he was the first to see the moon and stars blotted out by hundreds of shadows flooding the night sky. "Mystery!" He hissed.

Mystery saw them and crouched, lips pulled back in a deep-throated growl. He threw back his head, roaring from deep in his chest, "Well come then! I don't fear you. I can swallow a thousand of you and still have room for more. Come down, filthy ghouls!" He raked the ground threateningly, his claws furrowing the earth. "Come down and face me."

And they fell like a black rain to the ground, plummeting toward Mystery by the dozens. Mystery whirled like a dervish, snapping and clawing, biting and barking. He clubbed them aside with his tails before spinning to catch them in his jaws, breaking them apart with a single bite.

But they kept coming. Lewis had seen one or two ghouls in his year alone, but had easily avoided them. They were fairly mindless, and never came in large groups. It was obvious something more was at work, and when one grabbed at the locket wrapped around Mystery's collar, Lewis launched from his branch.

He came in a blaze of flame, setting the tree behind him alight. The deadbeats scattered, each one ballooning in size. They attacked the ghouls, biting with sharp maws and snapping bones with their hands. Lewis dived for Mystery, his flames billowing out and catching several ghouls off guard. Any ghoul within five feet of him disintegrated as he reached Mystery, standing on his back.

"I say we make them disappear." He growled, fireballs building in his hands.

"With pleasure." Mystery crouched again. "Hold tight."

….

Arthur emerged into the dim light, shivering a little. The farther he got from the opening, the less sure he felt of himself. He gripped his robotic arm, trying not to remember the last two times he'd been in a cave, and failing miserably.

 _This is different,_ he assured himself. _I'm just going into a mysterious cave haunted by a spirit I know nothing about….. frick._

He took in his surroundings, and realized with a jolt that he was no longer in a dim cavern. Turning back, he inspected the route he'd just taken. The dark tunnel was still there, but ended abruptly. He'd come to the grassy banks of a lake that lay open to the sky. _Is the whole hill an illusion?_

Trees lined the edges of the lake, bent over and trailing their branches in the still water. He could see the reflection of the moon in the surface. Inching forward, he cleared his throat gingerly. "Um. L-lady… of the lake?" His eyes darted around nervously. "I, uh. I think I need to talk to you." He shifted, feeling very foolish all of a sudden. He was talking to a lake, he didn't even know if there was really anyone there. "I really hope you're h-here. It's important." Some resolve returned to him as he recalled why he was there. "S-see I know King Arthur threw his sword back here, a-and well, I think I need it. Either that, or I need your help. I need something, cause everything's screwed up." He bit his lip. "I h-have to fix this mess, but I don't think I can unless you help."

The branches of the trees swayed in a light breeze, but silence was his only response.

"L-look, I don't know if you're even around anymore, but i-if you are, it's r-really important! Please. I w-wouldn't bother you if it was something I could fix m-myself. Ask anyone, I don't l-like all this ghost and spirit b-business. It was always V-vivi's thing, but you just c-can't say no to her. But she's not here, and she should be. Please!"

A ripple touched the edge of the riverbank, licking across the sands with a sigh. "Leave." Whispered across the surface. "I have nothing for you."

Goosebumps broke out across Arthur's skin, but he planted his feet to keep himself from bolting. "I don't b-believe that. If that were true, why do I get to c-come in and nobody else does?"

"Leave. What you seek is no longer yours, but cast aside. Left to gather moss and rust." The voice was like water running over stone, soft and whispery, with a mournful note. A decidedly female voice, Arthur noted.

"I'm h-here now." Arthur looked around, unable to locate the source of the voice. "I've come to reclaim wh-what's…" he faltered.

"Reclaim what is yours?" A head rose from the lake, and Arthur withered at the scorn in its expression. "There is nothing here that is yours, Arthur of the line of Uther. The gift was returned, and you have no claim on a gift returned."

Arthur slowly knelt, planting his hands on the ground for balance. "You're right." He realized. "I don't. So I'm asking. Please, I have to get my friend back. Morgause has her body. Vivi's one of my best friends and she's hurt. P-please."

The face stared at him as the rest of the spirit rose from the surface of the lake. Her body trailed as one long tendril from her neck to a tapered tip, twisting like an eel as she parted from the water and rose into the air. Two horns sprouted from her head, curving around like ram's horns and reaching forward. On second glance, he realized they were arms as the ends curled and bent like hands would. The creature regarded him with such censure that he dropped his eyes back to the lake surface.

"You are the second to come with wonderfully genuine intentions, but your hands are far more stained than his when he came."

Arthur flinched, eyes dropping now to his hands.

"I see darkness in your spirit. You come to me like this, and you ask for my help?"

Arthur's eyes closed, and he forced himself to respond. "Yes."

"I see." Even her voice derided him with undertones of a forceful stream. "Hubris runs in the family line it seems, as does grasping at more than is deserved."

"I'm n-n-not asking for me!" He blurted. "I told you, V-Vivi is-"

"The descendant of Morgause requires my help, of course. That is all the more reason for me to immediately hand over the sword, by all means, please continue to convince me."

The voice drew closer and closer as it went on, and Arthur fought to keep from bolting. "She's nothing like Morgause! She's kind and funny and sh-she puts me b-back on track, and sh-she probably saved my life more than I kn-know. If it wasn't for wh-what she did, Morgause would have…" He swallowed. "And sh-she didn't give up on me when I gave up on mys-self, I have to get her back!"

"Why?" The voice whispered, just over his head. "Why do you want her back so badly?"

"Because the last thing I told h-her was that I was pissed at her and all sh-she was doing was trying to be l-level with me before it was too late!" His head bowed lower. "Because I c-couldn't do anything when that hag stole her body, just watch. Because she's family, and n-not just cause of what happened with the King. She's a-always been my family."

There was no answer to this, and Arthur risked raising his head. He came face to face with a set of eyes, large and murky green. They measured him, and he could almost swear she was scrutinizing his soul by the depth of her gaze. Slowly, she turned away, her arms trailing along the surface of the lake. "I will not give you the sword, descendant of Uther. But I will not stop you should you choose to take it." With that, she slipped back under the surface of the water, vanishing.

Arthur knelt there a moment, processing what he'd just heard. _Find the sword?_ He grabbed a fistful of his hair, staring at the lake. It wasn't the largest lake he'd ever seen, he could see the distant shore some miles off, but he didn't have time to search it all. _Focus. I'm Griflet, how far can I throw the sword?_ He squinted at the surface. A really strong knight throwing a heavy weapon could get it pretty far, but Griflet didn't strike him as the strongest member of the Round Table. Plus the knight was reluctant to let go of the sword. He drew a line in the air, blocking off most of the lake. It was still a large section, but more manageable.

But it would take such a long time… He shook his head. He had to have that sword. He pulled his vest and shirt off, stripping down to his boxers and facing the water. He flexed his robotic arm, hoping it would hold up against the water. He hadn't fixed all the joints fully, and if it leaked…

_I'm wasting time. I need that sword._

Inhaling deeply, he dove into the lake. The shock of the cold locked his muscles for a few seconds before the adrenaline hit, and he flailed his way toward the bottom. The lake water was a greenish, silty color, but not so clouded that he couldn't see. He could make out large rocks along the bottom, boulders covered in moss and slime. He scanned a section of the floor as quickly as he could, then thrust himself back to the surface, breaking it for a gasp of air. "Cold!" He chattered, before turning to dive back down.

As he headed for the bottom, he felt his metal arm responding slower. He kicked his legs harder, searching desperately as he traveled along the floor. A shine, a glimmer, anything. But nothing presented itself.

He rose to the surface, gasping in a few more breaths, before returning once more. He was starting to lose feeling in his real arm and legs, and his robotic arm barely moved. He compensated with his legs, straining his eyes for anything that stood out.

There. One flash. His lungs burned, but he kicked toward it. Reaching out blindly, he closed his hand on something long, hard, and covered in moss. The edge sliced into his hand and he let go, running his hand up to one end. The hilt, he'd found it. Grabbing tight, he began kicking upward.

The sword remained where it was. He planted his feet against the nearest boulders, wrenching as hard as he could upward. It began to shift, the moss that had grown over it tearing free. His lungs screamed as he wrenched with all his might, breaking it free. He kicked toward the surface, his legs responding slower than they had, and black crowding the edges of his vision.

_No. Don't even. Vivi needs…_

His face barely broke the surface before he hauled in air, choking as he took water with it. He hacked, sinking and fighting to tread back to the surface. The water around him rippled, and he could feel himself being drawn slowly toward the shore by a warmer current. He dragged himself out of the lake, collapsing on the bank.

_Breathe. Just breathe._

He wasn't sure how long he lay there, shivering and clutching the hilt of the sword in a death grip. When his breathing finally stabilized, he let go of the sword and pushed himself up, taking stock. His robotic arm was completely unresponsive, likely every wire was fried and every connection shot. He hit the release button while holding down a separate panel, grateful he'd thought to have a manual override. The mechanisms disengaged, and he tossed the prosthetic aside. It was completely ruined, and he'd have to make another.

If he made it back home.

His limbs felt like lead balloons as he painstakingly dressed himself, reminded sharply of his first couple of months after Lewis' death. Finally, when he was fully clothed, he bent down and grabbed the sword.

The blade was still covered with moss, and he couldn't make out much more than its basic form. He made his way over to a tree, resting the flat of the blade against the trunk and scraping it along the rough bark. He repeated this motion several times on each side, then wiped it along the grass as well. Raising it again, he inspected it.

The blade was simple steel, unadorned and with no special inscriptions. The hilt was plain as well, save for a small blue gem set in the pommel. The tapestry had depicted a gloriously decorated weapon, but then again, it had also shown a beautiful woman handing it over.

"I really hope this helps s-somehow." Arthur's teeth chattered. "Cause she doesn't seem l-like she's giving out h-help today." He turned to the lake, giving an awkward little bow. "Th-thank you for letting me g-get the sword at least. If you ch-change your mind… I could really u-use your help."

He paused, hoping to receive some answer or sign, but none was presented. Sighing, he turned back to the tunnel, when a thought hit him.

_Mystery said he'd tear this place down if I wasn't back in ten minutes._

_It's been way longer than ten minutes._

_Where's Mystery?_


	20. At Her Mercy

Cold and damp, Arthur staggered out of the cave. "Mystery!" He coughed, the swordpoint dragging along the ground. "L-Lewis, guys…" He came to a stop as he passed through the entrance illusion.

The ground all around the entrance had been torn up. Deep furrows raked haphazardly all about, and small craters were blasted all about, ringed in black. Nearby trees were charred to a crisp, and embers floated in the air.

But his friends weren't there.

His grip on the hilt tightened as fear began crawling up his spine. They wouldn't leave him, not like this. There'd obviously been a fight. Had they been killed? Kidnapped? The only party interested and able to overtake Mystery was Morgause.

"Your name is Arthur."

Arthur spun to his right, brandishing the sword with a shaking arm. At the end of it was a tall woman. She bore herself with a regal grace, her raven-black hair pooling around her shoulders and her stormy, sea-green eyes regarding him with a mix of pity and amusement. Arthur could see the trunks of trees and the charred landscape through her body. He shook, his body trembling from the cold and from fear.

"That is not the proper way to hold a sword." She said mildly, gliding forward. He leaped back and she paused. "I mean you no harm, Arthur. It is my sister you fear, not me. My name is Morgan LeFay." She reached out a hand, gently repositioning his grip. "This is how you hold her, and widen your stance. You'll be knocked over in a moment if you stand like a tree. You only have one arm, so you'll have to compensate in your balance. She's heavier than she looks."

Arthur eyed her warily. "What are you doing h-here? Did you have anything to do with all this?" He jerked his chin at the wrecked landscape.

She drifted back a few paces, her expression sorrowful. "I did not do this. But I come with her message. She knows you have the sword Excalibur. She demands in exchange for Vivi's soul the sword Excalibur, and in exchange for Lewis' spirit yourself."

Arthur's heart plummeted. He sank to a sitting position, resting the sword across his knees. "Why does she want the s-s-sword?" He asked, not ready to voice the second question. "I mean, I was hoping there'd be something about it to help me, but I was real-lly betting on the Lady of the L-Lake, and she's not interested." He coughed again, wiping his face.

Morgan's eyes traced the length of the sword reverently. "That is not for me to disclose. She was ever a mysterious sword, and greater than I. But Morgause knows of the power of the sword. There is a deep magic in it, and she hopes to heal what Vivi did to her body." Her eyes lifted mournfully. "And perhaps live forever."

Arthur frowned. "N-none of the l-l-legends said anything a-about living forever, and K-King Arthur died."

"Yes. He did." She shook her head slowly. "And I will not pretend to know why the power of Excalibur was withheld from him in his last moments. But my sister desires that power. And she desires you in her power."

Arthur's shoulders hunched as he braced himself to spit out the second question. "What is she going to d-d-do to me?"

A cold hand touched his cheek, gently. "I don't know. Her mind is torn. But she will make you suffer deeply should you come to her."

"Are my friends suffering?" His voice came out in a whisper. "Mystery too?"

Her response was like flint striking rock. "The soul of her daughter is protected to his last flicker by her lover. He suffers mortally, barely existing. Your guardian fought bravely, and the spirits that were set on him would not normally be any trouble. But they were aided and guided by Morgause. She set hundreds on him, even he can't stand against overwhelming numbers. They carried him off. And she has set them on him."

"What do you mean 'set them on him'?" His head came up sharply.

She closed hers, looking ill. "Your guardian is a strange mix of flesh and spirit, changeable at will, with great capacity for self-healing of wounds inflicted by lesser beings. Ghouls are creatures of great darkness, with a need to feed on the flesh of the living."

Arthur bolted to his feet with a cry. "I will go, take me there, please!"

"She does not offer ransom for your guardian, Arthur." Her eyes remained shut. "Only for her daughter's soul and her lover's ghost. And only because she knows, damaged as they are, they will barely last the day alone. I would not walk into her hands, Arthur. Your friends would understand. I would dare say they would beg that you run. You can do nothing for them."

Ice gripped Arthur's heart at those words. "Don't you s-s-say that. Don't you dare say that." His eyes were hard. "There's a-always something. I won't l-leave them."

"I don't know what she will do to you." Morgause finally looked at him again, her eyes full of sorrow. "And I cannot stop her as long as she is embodied."

"Wh-what if she w-w-wasn't?" He demanded, stepping forward. "What if I got her o-out of Vivi? Could you do something?" At her silence, his eyes narrowed. " _Would_ you do something?"

Her head bowed, and the words dropped from her lips like stones. "I have begged. Pleaded. Cajoled her. Hundreds of years I have shadowed her, watching her usurp and destroy and lose herself more and more. She is my sister. But she has rejected and discarded every opportunity to choose a different path." Her voice dropped until he had to strain to hear her. "If you succeed, she will face the consequences of her path. I swear it."

"Swear o-one more thing. If I f-fail, you'll p-protect Lewis and V-Vivi." His face twisted. "M-Maybe I can't save M-Mystery. But if I can g-get them free, I'll do it." He looked down at the sword in his hands. "S-seems to be all I'm a-able to do."

A transparent hand rested on his shoulder, and Arthur lifted his face to meet Morgan LeFay's. "You have great courage, Arthur." Her voice was soft. "And you are your own, not your forbearer. And perhaps she will yet heal you."

Arthur blinked, but before he could ask who Morgan was talking about, she turned away. "If you must, then come with me." Her voice was soft. "My sister is not far, and she waits for you."

…...

Arthur struggled after Morgan across the countryside. His body no longer shook, but a deep weariness had settled into his bones. Gruesome images of what was waiting for him warred with resignation, leaving him exhausted. Morgan stopped on occasion, bidding him to sit and rest. He was grateful for her kindness, but pressed on. The longer he delayed, the worse it would be for his friends.

Along the way, Morgan fed him bits of information, as if trying to bolster him against what he would be facing.

"She sees no difference between you and the King, or worse, his father. Keep this in mind, it will do no good to convince her otherwise. What he did, you have done. As she perceived his desires, so she places them on you. She does not know what she wants, whether to make you suffer, kill you, or usurp your line. Use her confusion if you can."

Arthur only nodded at each scrap of information, dread collecting in the pit of his stomach. Every step forward he could feel the urge to run clawing at his heels, but he kept the names of his friends at the forefront of his mind and continued on. Briefly, he regretted finding the sword. He had promised the Lady of the Lake that he would do better by the sword than the King, and already he was failing. But some things were more important.

"We are nearly there." Morgan's tone was devoid of emotion, her face expressionless. "You are sure of yourself?"

Arthur didn't trust himself to speak, and only nodded in response.

"Then prepare yourself." She gestured ahead. They had come to another set of ruins, one with a similar architecture as King Arthur's castle, but somewhat smaller. He could hear a great beast snarling, and he broke into a run. "I'M HERE!" He screamed, pumping his legs. "I'M HERE, COME OUT YOU BAT-FACED HAG!"

Vivi stepped out from behind a crumbling wall, and for a moment his heart skipped a beat. No, not Vivi. Morgause. Her black eyes regarded him with a twisted amusement. "Thank you for delivering my message, sister. First helpful thing you've done for me since our deaths."

"Please Morgause." Morgan stretched her hands out. "It will not salve your wounds, it will not restore what was lost. Please."

"Begone with you." Morgause flicked her hands. "I have no further need of your lectures. I have what I need, or I will shortly." She sauntered toward Arthur, and he felt nausea rise in his throat. "Arthur, son of Uther, do you have what I want?" Her eyes latched onto the sword, drinking in the sight greedily.

"I do. Do you have what I-I want?" He clutched the sword tightly, unsure why she wasn't just tearing it out of his hands.

In answer, she gestured for him to follow as she turned, striding back into the ruins. With no other options, Arthur followed at a distance. Rounding a wall, he froze in horror at the sight before him.

Lewis was so transparent he was barely visible. His skull was bare of flames, and his eyes didn't glow. He huddled around two lockets, one glowing purple and one glowing blue. Three ghouls circled him, prodding his form on occasion. His only response was to pull the lockets tighter to his chest.

In the far corner, Mystery was weighted down with heavy chains. A horde of ghouls covered his body from rump to neck, and he howled in agony, thrashing futilely against his chains. Arthur's heart cracked as he watched his friends.

"What are you gonna do with Mystery?" He whispered.

"Once I'm through with you, I was thinking it would be good to have a guardian who is completely loyal to me, and my line." Her eyes flashed. "A few memory spells should do the trick, he'll think he's only ever been faithful to me. He won't even know you existed."

Arthur whirled on her, with an anger that bloomed from a place he didn't know he had, and he watched her step back in shock. "If you're going to have him as a guardian, get those g-g-ghouls off him _now._ D-do you hear me? You take care of him, you don't e-e-ever hurt him again. I don't give a c-crap what happens next, you treat him l-like you've never treated an-nyone in your whole miserable e-existence for as long as you have him. If I can't bargain f-for him, you'd b-better at least d-do right by him."

She tilted her chin mockingly. "And why should I do anything you demand? Or do you forget who holds all the cards?"

"B-because it's in your best interest." He turned back to Mystery, aching. "A l-loyal guardian is worth fifty times what a b-b-bound guardian is."

Morgause pursed her lips. "He speaks wisdom, for such a worm. Very well. I will treat him as my very own." She cackled. "Perhaps better than my own."

Arthur's stomach turned at her reference to Vivi, but he held his peace. He'd done all he could for Mystery.

"Now, for the soul of my daughter, Excalibur." She faced him, holding out her hands. "Do you, Arthur son of Uther, give to me Excalibur? Do you hand over all rights and bonds and powers inherent in the sword to me?"

He looked down at the sword, his knuckles white on the hilt. "I'm sorry." He whispered. Extending his solitary arm, he held the hilt out to her. "I do."

She snatched it from his hand with a crow of triumph. "And do you, Arthur, hand yourself over to me, for any purpose I so choose in exchange for the ghost that holds Vivi?"

Arthur's throat was closing with fear, and he felt like the ground was about to split under his feet and send him hurtling into a pit with no end. He blurted his answer before his words dried up completely. "I do."

Morgause gestured at Lewis, and the ghouls abandoned the ghost. The horde lifted off of Mystery as well, and Arthur groaned to see the terrible mauling the Kitsune had endured. Lewis' spirit flickered madly, and he didn't even lift his head. Arthur watched as Morgan crossed out of the corner of his vision and reached out, taking both Lewis' and Vivi's lockets into her hands. Lewis' projection gave out, and she was left holding two glowing lockets, one cracked nearly into pieces.

"Thank you." He managed, before a hard grip clamped onto his shoulder.

"Now, Arthur." The unholy glee in the voice struck terror deep in his soul. "I have a place to put you while I decide what to do with you. Come with me."


	21. One Last Chance

Arthur couldn't help a moment of bitterness as he looked at his right arm in disgust. Morgause had led him to a section of the ruins across from Mystery and clamped a wall shackle around his right wrist, then walked away. Apparently he was _so_ helpless he only needed one chain.

He could make her out in the space in between. There was a great stone slab raised from the ground, like some sort of ornate table. She had laid Excalibur on the slab, grinning down at the sword like a child with a new toy. She'd been staring at it for a solid half hour, and Arthur sat down, the length of the chain allowing him just enough leeway to do so. He didn't dare raise his eyes farther to look at Mystery, he felt the Kitsune's eyes boring into him accusingly.

Morgan LeFay hovered a few feet to the side of the table, attention fixed on her sister, saying nothing.

Finally, Morgause broke the silence. "So. Sister. What say you now? Hundreds of years of living from descendant to descendant, and now perhaps I've found the key to eternal life. Perhaps I don't even need this womb. She sealed herself away from all but his legitimate descendants," she spat the word, "And now she is mine by his own hand."

"She refused even Arthur in his last moments." Morgan reminded her softly. "And neither of us knows why. What makes you think she will give you what she did not give him?"

"Because she is mine!" Morgause wrapped her hand around the hilt, stroking the length of the blade. "And whatever is mine does what I command without question, or suffers for it."

Morgan closed her eyes, letting out a long, deep sigh. Morgause whirled on her, shouting, "Don't give me that! As if I don't have enough power! As if I can't bend her to my will! Excalibur is mine, and she will do my bidding! If I don't have the power now, I will continue to gather it! She _will_ give me her powers and blessings if I have to wrest them from her!"

Morgan did not respond, and Morgause's laughter took on a bitter, shrill pitch. "What, what? No more words? No long lecture? No telling me there's another way, a better path? No telling me, 'Oh Morgause, Arthur didn't know, he couldn't have. Not our precious baby brother, he can do no wrong!'" She swung the sword, and Morgan jerked back, showing the first flash of fear that Arthur had seen. "Of course he didn't know, but he knew what he was asking of me. You _know_ why I was there!" She spat. "I was being obedient! I was being exactly what Father told me, a good wife!"

"King Lot?" Arthur nearly swallowed his tongue as the words slipped out, and Morgause whirled on him, sword pointed perfectly at his throat.

"The worm speaks, he has questions." Her eyes narrowed. "Speak your questions then, worm."

"That night." His eyes fixed on the point of the sword. "King Lot was in the dungeons, right? Why-y were you there?"

A sneer twisted her mouth. "I was there to beg the King for my husband's life. He was no romantic lover, but he was no monster either. Have you any concept of hell, Arthur son of Uther? Hell is being born female in the middle ages, and I landed in a lesser hell than many of my peers. Without him, I would have nothing and be at the mercy of whatever man came to claim Lot's possessions. So what do I do? I come to the King. I come to beg him for just my husband's life and by extension my own. And what am I asked?" The tip of the sword dug into his neck just slightly. "Tell me. What was I asked?"

Arthur backed against the wall, feeling the sharp edge scrape along his throat.

"Say it!" She shrieked at him, the point sinking into his skin. He could feel a trickle of blood drip from the point. "WHAT DID YOU ASK ME?"

Arthur didn't have to be a scholar or historian to piece together her story with the tale Mystery had spun earlier. Quietly, "Sleep with me, and I'll thi-think about it. Something like that?"

Morgause smiled crookedly. "He had more of a silver tongue than that, but that is close enough." The sword dropped from his neck and he wiped the blood away. "So I saved my husband's life. The next day he was released from the dungeons with a warning, and armed guard at our castle doors. Right there." She pointed at the entrance they had come through, and Arthur realized they were standing in the ruins of Morgause's old home.

"He wasn't thinking." Morgause turned on Mystery as the Kitsune strained against his chains. "He was wounded over Guinevere. He never would have-"

"I don't care what he never would have done!" She swung the blade, the tip slicing a perfect line across Mystery's nose. He snarled in pain. "What matters is what he did! He used me and threw me aside, just like father! Just like _his_ father! 'Marry King Lot, girl, or I'll throw you in the ravine myself. I need him as an ally, an it's all you're useful for anyway. Now Arthur, great things for that boy. That boy will make something of our family. That boy is everything!' Don't SPEAK to me of Arthur and his good intentions!" She raged, her face dark.

"Father used you, it is true." Morgan's voice was quiet. "He used all of us daughters the same way. But you have become Father."

"Maybe because Father was right." Morgause breathed heavily. "Children are possessions. They're only there to be used. Every last daughter came from _my_ body, from _my_ womb. Whatever life they had, _they owed it all to me!_ "

"Vivi was n-never you!" Arthur's fist clenched, his eyes burning. "Vivi was nothing like you, and she outs-smarted you."

Morgause turned back to Arthur, slowly, as if she'd forgotten he was there. Morgan LeFay's eyes widened, and she shook her head despairingly at Arthur. But Arthur had decided. Morgan had named Morgause's options to him, and if those were his only three choices, then he would provoke her to kill him as quickly as possible.

"I see." Morgause smiled at him darkly. "The Son of Uther hopes to end his suffering faster. Ever sly this one." She raised a hand, a flaming blue cord shooting from her hand. His shackle unlocked as the cord wrapped around his wrist. She jerked, dragging him forward and binding his wrist to the table. The cord felt like ice, and his nerve started to desert again as she circled the table to approach him.

"What is your worst horror, son of Uther?" She smiled sweetly. "What keeps you up at night, screaming in fear? Perhaps you recoil at the thought of my advances, but that is not what has cracked your soul open."

Arthur averted his eyes, staring at the stone under his legs. He could hear Mystery thrashing again as Morgause gripped his chin in fingers like a vise, the nails digging into his cheek as she raised his head. For the first time he got a close look at her face, and his heart dropped.

Lines were running across her face. Her cheeks sagged slightly where they hadn't before, and veins stood out along her neck and forehead. One or two silver hairs glinted on the blue head of hair.

"The magic costs you," he breathed, staring at her. "Your daughters asked for help… and you aged… and you wanted their bodies sooner. N-now you don't have a daughter…" His eyes narrowed. "Now you don't have a daughter. What are you gonna do when you run through this body before you figure out the s-sword?"

"I won't." Her eyes flashed. "Calling and controlling the ghouls cost me, having them fly me here cost me, but I will conserve my magic until I bend her to my will!" Her eyes lit. "You speak so vehemently of my daughter, as if you care." She knelt in front of him, still gripping his face. "Tell me, what would you have done if I had a daughter of you, and took her?" She grinned madly. "Would that hurt you, son of Uther?"

Arthur reeled. Her changes threw him badly. One moment she acknowledged her inability to bear children, and the next she was back on that. Morgan was right, Morgause had lost it a long time ago. He focused his eyes beyond her, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing what-

She yanked his face forward, eyes boring into his, and in her eyes he could see her. Six years old, with pink glasses, holding a teddy bear. Her hair was blue, just like Vivi's, but there were orange undertones he couldn't ignore. He could almost hear her cries as she ran, clutching her teddy bear. "Daddy!" She screamed. "Daddy!"

"NO." He wrenched his face away, spitting at Morgause's smile. "THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, DO YOU KNOW WHY?"

Still smiling, Morgause wiped the spittle off her face. "Oh I know why. But gods that was satisfying to watch."

Arthur stared up at her, hurting in places he didn't know he could hurt. It wasn't like he'd never imagined what a kid with Vivi would look like. He'd tried to stop once she'd started going out with Lewis, he'd tried really hard. But the fact that this witch would take something beautiful like that and twist it…

And then her eyes changed, and he saw himself, and he was falling. And he could feel the air rushing past him as he spun head over heels, tumbling into endless blackness. He could see the spikes coming at him again. And somewhere the Spirit was laughing, waiting in the dark as the spike pierced his chest again-

He screamed, cowering against the table, eyes wide and staring at nothing.

"There is your crack, I see. That was a marvelous job, I'm almost jealous." She traced a finger along his chest.

He couldn't do it. He could see it in her eyes. She was going to do this over and over, and worse. The Spirit had thrown him off a cliff for hours, but this one… she would take his deepest, most precious thoughts and twist them against him, maybe for days. He'd have nothing left by the time she was done, and only then would she kill him.

_I will die me, not a broken wretch writhing at her feet._

"What do you want?" Mystery howled. "What do you want, I'll serve you, I'll do your filthy work, I'll submit! Just release him!"

"You will do all that anyway." She smiled. "You won't even remember him, but please, watch his suffering first."

Arthur pulled up his courage and looked her dead in the eye. _Use her confusion, direct it. Okay Morgan. She got every chance from you, here's one from me, and if she doesn't take it, I don't have to suffer anymore either._

"So, you've got me. Y-you know what I'm afraid of, you know what I h-hate to see. You know I've g-got nothing. I've g-got one thing though. One more thing to say."

"What's that?" She smirked, standing so she towered over him, hand resting casually on her hip as she leaned on the sword. "Begging?"

"I'm s-sorry."

Her expression froze.

"Arthur… King Arthur…" He took a deep breath. He WAS King Arthur to her. "I… screwed up. It was wr-wrong. I was hurting, b-but then I hurt you. S-starting to think I h-hurt more people than the stories say."

Morgause had stopped breathing. This was obviously not what she had expected to hear.

"But l-look at you." He forced himself to look her in the eyes. "R-really look at you. Look what y-you've done, what you've b-become. I've m-moved on from my h-hurts. I had to learn the hard way," he wove his own history in as he spoke, "B-but people f-forgave me, and I d-didn't turn into a monster. You d-destroyed your own f-family. You didn't let them l-live, you're worse than anything I could e-ever be."

In a flash, his body flipped through the air, landing flat on the table. He stared up at the night sky as blue flame criscrossed his body, the icy burn setting in as it bound him there. "It'll n-never get better. You'll b-be like this every l-life you live, even wh-when I'm gone. You'll j-just have nothing left to ch-chase, and it'll be w-worse." He turned his head as she hefted the sword, a sort of peace settling in his chest. "You're r-running out of chances." He could hear massive chains rattling, but there was nothing else he could do for Mystery.

"I don't want your chances, I never asked for your pity!" She hissed, venom dripping from every word. "With you dead, the sword will truly be mine. I am also Arthur's heir now, I created my own line." She pressed the edge of the sword against his neck. "Master of my own fate, and ender of yours. Go to hell, Arthur. Greet our father for me, and tell him how spectacularly you failed." She ripped the sword across his throat with a gleeful grin as a Kitsune's howl of despair split the night.

The edge slid harmlessly over his skin, the edge suddenly blunt and smooth, leaving no mark. She blinked, staring in shock. "I don't understand." She repeated the motion, the edge sliding off his skin again. "I don't understand!" She railed. "You gave the sword to _me_ , she should do what I say, she is _mine!_ "

"The descendant of Arthur gifted you the sword, it is true." Morgause whirled, brandishing the sword. A strange creature hovered in front of her, and Arthur's eyes bulged as he recognized the Lady of the Lake. "But you failed to take something into account, Morgause." The Lady drifted closer as Morgause took a step back. "You failed to ask the descendant of Arthur if the sword first gifted herself to him." Her eyes darkened as she hovered in front of the woman. "And the answer to that, Morgause, is she did not."

* * *


	22. Breaking The Curse

Morgause stumbled back, true fear on her face as the Lady of the Lake advanced on her, her tapered body twisting her through the air like an eel swimming, her arms outstretched. The long, wriggling arms wrapped around the sword. Morgause gripped it with both hands, shrieking as the edge sliced into her palm.

"NO!" She struggled. "YOU ARE MINE, MINE TO COMMAND!"

"I am still my own to command." The voice was calm, but hard as ice. "And never, never yours." She removed the sword from Morgause's hand with the ease of an adult reclaiming a toy from a toddler. Morgause's hand bled as the blade was wrenched from her. The Lady turned to Arthur, placing a hand on the fiery cords. Steam rose as water rushed along the lines, dousing the flames and releasing Arthur. She pulled him to a sitting position with one arm, hovering in front of him. He could see her measuring him again, but there was less censure in her gaze.

"Arthur, of the line of Uther, but not the son of Uther," She said, her voice like light rain, "This sword has lain very long without someone to wield her. Excalibur's purpose was abandoned long before she was thrown back in the lake. I do not expect you to right the wrongs of your ancestor, but I expect you to do what he did not, and give your all in defense of your Kingdom. Will you do so, not because it is your possession to be reclaimed at the expense of any who cross you, but because it is what you treasure most?"

Arthur looked down to the sword she held in her hands. Gingerly, he held his single hand out, palm facing up. "I will." He said quietly.

She bowed her head, lowering the pommel into his hand and closing his fingers around it. Her touch was warm and wet, and the small gem in the pommel flared. "Then Arthur, the sword Excalibur submits herself to you." The spirit hovered back, staring at him with fathomless eyes. "Command me, sire. What would you have of me?"

With a cold shock, Arthur realized the truth of the legends. Yes, the Lady of the Lake had given Excalibur to the King, but perhaps even the King did not realize that the Lady of the Lake was, herself, the spirit of Excalibur. His mouth hung open, head tilted slightly to the side in shock as his eyes darted from the sword to the spirit in front of him.

His shock was broken only by a demonic shriek to his right. Turning, he raised the sword just in time to deflect a killing blow from Morgause. She held in her hands a sword of blue flame, her eyes boring into his with rabid hatred.

"SHE IS MINE!" She roared. "GIVE HER TO ME!"

She was slipping fast and becoming more dangerous. He scrambled off the table, his mind already working on a solution. He was no swordsman, there was no way he could compete with a crazed ghost from medieval times. What did the Lady say? _Command me._

Morgause opened her mouth, a shrill scream splitting his ears. The sky darkened as ghouls flocked to her call.

"Free Mystery!" He ordered. "Free Mystery to take care of the ghouls, you take Morgause out of Vivi!"

The Lady flinched, eyes hard. "You would have me free a dark spirit as my first act?" She asked in disgust.

"We can talk details l-later!" Arthur shouted as the first wave of ghouls began dropping from the sky. "R-right now, need you both!"

The Lady zoomed across the courtyard. Mystery flinched back at her approach, but she grabbed ahold of the chains. Water ran along the length of the links, and Arthur could see more steam rising from the links. Suddenly Mystery burst free, darting over to Arthur and leaping over his head, his tails nearly knocking him over as he closed his great jaws on a mouthful of the foul spirits.

Arthur turned to see Morgause had chosen a crumbling stairwell that curved around a ruined tower as her position. Her hands glowed with blue flame and she spat foul sounding words as the Lady turned her attention on Vivi's body.

As he watched, the Lady's body changed. Her tapered tail lengthened, arching down in a rush of water that propelled her forward. Her arms slid downward from the top of her head to the base of her neck, the ends morphing into several more dagger-sharp fingers, and true horns curved from the top of her head, jagged spikes layering the curving edges. Her eyes darkened as she surged forward, arms outstretched, reaching for Morgause.

Mystery leaped and darted, snapping his teeth and circling Arthur protectively as the ghouls flooded the courtyard. His tails swept Arthur up against the table, keeping him covered on one side as he himself leaped on top of it, howling a challenge at the dark spirits. Morgause let out an answering scream, and the horde flooded forward.

Morgause's hands came up as the Lady closed the distance between them. From between the cracks in the crumbling flagstone shot walls of indigo flame, spreading across the Lady's path. The Lady plunged through the flames, parting them like a curtain with an outpouring of steam as she forged ahead. Morgause fled up the stairwell toward the top of the tower, leaping over gaps and missing steps. Behind her, the entire surface of the staircase lit up in flames. The Lady paused at the foot, then moved past it to the curved wall. Pressing herself flat against the stones, she began to ripple up and over the stones, following the wall upward as she tracked her target.

Arthur felt cold hands haul him to his feet and draw him away from the table. Morgan hurried him away as Mystery crashed right where Arthur had been, scrambling to his paws in panic and searching the place where he'd fallen.

"He's whole! I have him safe!" Morgan called, pulling Arthur down behind a boulder.

"I have to do something!" Arthur hissed, trying to stand, but she pulled him back down.

"You already have." Morgan opened her hand, showing him the lockets, before placing them in his vest pocket. "You brought the Lady of the Lake to your aid. Keep ahold of the sword, Arthur. Never repeat the mistakes of your ancestor." She raised her eyes to the top of the tower. "It is time for my sister to face hers, as I promised." With that, she vanished.

At the top of the tower, Arthur could just make out a hunched figure, hurling fireballs at the approaching Lady, who evaded each blast with a sideways flow. At the edge of the tower, the Lady caught Morgause by her wrists, and Morgause wailed at the contact. He could see red dripping from between the Lady's fingers, and opened his mouth to shout at her.

The Lady bent forward, removing one hand to place against Morgause's forehead. Arthur's command froze in his throat as Morgause's screaming increased in volume. A dark mist collected around the Lady's hand, and as she pulled it back, the dark mist followed, trailing out from Vivi's forehead. The body began to sag backwards as the mist left, and the Lady released it over the edge.

Arthur didn't think, he just bolted. Sword in one hand, he raced across the courtyard and dove, twisting around to cushion Vivi's body as it slammed down on him with a crack. The air fled his lungs on impact, leaving him groaning as he tried to regain his wind.

Overhead, the swirling armies ground to a halt. Mystery backed closer to him, still snarling, but no longer under siege. The ghouls milled about aimlessly, no longer directed in attack, bumping into each other in confusion. A well-timed roar by Mystery redirected them to full flight, and the sky began to clear.

Arthur struggled to sit up, still wheezing, and turned Vivi's body over. Her body had aged so much, he barely recognized her. Her back was hunched over, her skin sagging and spotted. Her hair was full silver, and her hands were gnarled and knobbed. He could see deep gashes on her arms where the Lady had seized her, but the blood was no longer flowing. There was no more life in this body.

He eased himself out from under her and stood to his feet, shakily. The Lady flowed down the stairwell, now clear of flames, gripping in her hands a writhing spectre. Morgause, the nightmare of an entire line of women, was now little more than a formless black cloud.

"Arthur," The Lady addressed him, "Your command has been carried out. What now?"

"Release her to her sister." Arthur glanced around, searching for Morgan. "She promised justice."

"So I did." Morgan stepped into view, face like stone.

For a moment, the black cloud formed into a small girl, arms outstretched, raven black hair flowing down her back and eyes open wide in terror. "Sister, save me!" Morgause cried in the voice of a child.

Morgan's expression did not flicker, did not waver for a moment. "Sister," she returned, "Even now? Even now you would twist the last worthwhile memory of yourself to avoid the consequences." She shook her head slowly. "But it is not I you have wronged. Spirit of Excalibur, release my sister." She stepped aside. "Release my sister to her daughters."

And behind Morgan LeFay trailed a parade of spirits. Some full grown women. Some little girls. Some young teenagers. All with their eyes fixed on the blackened spirit the Lady held.

With a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, Arthur inclined his head. "Do as she says," He whispered, and the Lady released her.

In an instant, the spirits converged on the dark soul, each of them winding themselves around her, binding her tight as the cries broke loose.

"Mother, where have you gone?"

"Mama, why did you leave?"

"Mommy, where did you take my Mommy?"

"Mama!"

"Mother!"

"Mommy!"

Morgause shrieked as the knot of spirits dragged her down, the cloud of them siphoning through the cracks of her castle floor until only fading wails remained to mark their passage.

Morgan's shoulders slumped, a single moan of grief escaping her lips. She turned to Arthur, already becoming more and more transparent. "My rest approaches. You have ended the curse of my sister upon her line. Thank you." She swept into a deep curtsy. "Do not think all evil of your ancestor, Arthur. Our brother was flawed, and mistaken, and wrought ill. But that is not the whole sum of a man's life. Farewell." And with a final sigh, she disappeared.

A single spirit remained. This one had not attacked, but merely hovered, staring down at the body that lay crumpled on the ground. Arthur approached carefully, craning his neck to get a better view. "Mrs. P?" He asked cautiously.

The spirit lifted her head, regarding Arthur with immeasurable sorrow. "Where is my daughter?" She whispered. "Where is my Vivi? Can you tell me where my Vivi is?"


	23. Healing Waters

Arthur tucked the sword carefully under his arm and pulled the two lockets from his vest. "She's here. You'd have b-b-been really pr-roud of her, Mrs. P. She outs-smarted Morgause t-twice." He stared down at the two hearts, weaving a little on his feet. "I… I don't know… what t-t-to do now…" He turned to Mystery, holding out the hearts. "N-now how do we fix this?"

Mystery swung his great head toward the Lady, wincing. The mauling on his hide had mostly healed, save for scarring and patches of missing fur, but a few oozing wounds remained. "Are you truly a water spirit?" He asked, ears swiveling toward her.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she returned, "What do you mean truly? Are you so blind you cannot recognize a water spirit, demon dog?"

He stepped back uncertainly, tails tense and ears lowered. "I have never seen a water spirit behave as you, or have such a demeanor, and I have only known you for a few minutes."

She turned away. "However I appear to you, I am a water spirit, yes."

"Water spirits are the great healers, Arthur." Mystery redirected his attention. "She could likely do what I cannot, heal Vivi body and soul. Likely she can do the same for Lewis, maybe even…" He fell silent, eyeing Arthur.

Arthur turned to the Lady. "Lady of the… Exc-calibur…"

"You may call me Callie." She murmured.

"Callie. W-would you heal them?" He gestured at the lockets.

In answer, she dipped down toward Vivi's body, scooping it up in her twisting arms. "Demon dog, bring them to my lake."

…...

Something wet and slimy was rubbing his face, and Arthur swatted blindly at it, his fist still clenching the hilt of the sword. Opening his eyes, he saw Mystery standing over him, the Kitsune's tongue coming in for another pass over his face.

"What g-gives?" He groaned, sitting up.

"You lost consciousness on your journey over." Callie hovered at the edge of her lake a few feet ahead. "It seems your soul has deep wounds. Wounds like that affect the mind most strongly, and this night has been taxing on all." Vivi's body lay at the very edge of the waters, her mother's ghost kneeling next to it. "If you wish me to heal her, give me her anchor."

Arthur retrieved the two hearts, then paused. Lewis' locket was barely glowing now, and the locket looked fit to crumble any second. Vivi's still glowed a healthy blue. He held out Lewis', stammering, "H-he needs it m-more first, he took the w-worst damage defending her." He glanced guiltily at the ghost. "J-just a few more minutes Mrs. P-P. I c-can't lose Lewis again."

Callie took the locket, examining it carefully. "No body for this one." She mused, hovering over the waters. She lowered the locket until it was submerged, floating just under the surface. "No body, a broken anchor, and yet he stays. He is quite the loyal one." She stretched her hands down, stroking the metal with the tips of her fingers. A purple glow suffused the water around it, and Arthur could begin to make out the outlines of his ghostly roommate hovering limply near Callie. She didn't turn to the Ghost, but continued ministering to his anchor. The glow began to collect itself, pulling together under the water and back into the locket. Lewis appeared more solid, and began to lift his head, bewildered. For the first time, Arthur realized Lewis' outline was orange, as were the very tips of his fiery hair. Callie glanced up at Lewis, raising an eyebrow at the mix of colors. "Quite loyal." She remarked, raising the locket up and placing it, now restored, in Lewis' bony hands.

He stared at it for a moment before taking in the scene around him, concluding, "I missed a few things. Why do I get to come in now? Where's Vivi? Who are you? Arthur what the hell happened to your arm? Who's tha-" He froze, finger pointing at Vivi's ancient body.

"You are allowed because I allowed you." Callie guided him back to the shore. "All of you were invited this time. Only Arthur had bloodline rights. Vivi is next, and I am Callie. I do not understand the problem of Arthur's arm, but then there is much that will have to be explained to me I am sure. Now." She held her hands out again.

Arthur gingerly handed the second locket over, and Callie retreated to the lake, laying the locket just under the surface. She reached in, and pulled out a thin, glowing blue strand, and then another and another. As she pulled them out, she began to weave them together. Mrs. P began to pace the edge of the lake, gazing anxiously as a deep blue glow spread out from the locket, farther than Lewis' had. Callie's fingers moved faster, weaving strand after strand. As she did, another outline began to appear next to her. This one was small, blue, and about the size of a child. Lewis gave a strangled cry, reaching out, but Arthur grabbed his hand.

"D-don't." He shook his head. "Wait, Lew."

As they watched, the spirit lifted her head, bewildered. She hugged herself, eyes wide as she scanned the unfamiliar faces, until she landed on the single face she recognized.

"Mommy!" She cried, all but flying across the surface of the water and flinging herself into her mother's open arms. "Mommy, I found you!" She sobbed. "I knew you didn't leave."

Mrs. P cradled Vivi close, running her fingers through the child's hair. "Vivi, Vivi, my previous Vivi. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't know how to stop her. Oh my Vivi." She wept with her daughter. As Callie's fingers continued to weave, the child began to age in her mother's arms, growing and developing until she was a young woman, still holding her mother like she would disappear any moment.

Mrs. P let go of Vivi, taking her face between her hands and kissing her forehead. "Vivi, I'm so proud of you. You found a way, do you know that? You set all of us at rest. You and your friends. You're so brave, Vivi, and so smart. I'm so proud… and so sorry…"

Vivi cupped her mother's hands, kissing one as she gulped back tears. "I love you Mom. I know you loved me too. I always remembered."

Mrs. P smiled, her outline fading as she stroked Vivi's hair one more time. "My daughter, the most amazing person I know…" and she was gone.

Vivi hovered there for a moment, before scrubbing her face with her hands, and turning around. She came face to face with Callie, who dangled the locket in front of her nose. "Daughter of the line of Morgause, before I restore you, answer me one thing. Will you ever, in all your days, follow the path of your ancestress in her chosen madness? Would you, had you the choice between death and a life extended through your descendants, choose her path?"

"Never." There was no hesitation in Vivi's entire soul, the answer a vehement cry.

Callie grasped at a final blue strand, one that ran from Vivi's chest to the locket. She jerked it free of the locket and Vivi gasped, but Callie held the string firm. "Loyal ghost, bring her body. You may enter the waters."

Lewis scooped up the body at the edge of the lake and waded in, his form not disturbing the waters until Vivi's body broke the surface.

"Just under the surface, as you saw her anchor lie." Callie prompted, and Lewis did as he was told, his eyes fixed on Vivi's soul.

Extending her hands over the chest, Callie made a light weaving motion, tying the bue string in place, then began to pass her hands up and down the surface of the water, just over Vivi's body. The water rippled back and forth, and as it did the years began to fade away. Callie lifted the arms, gently stroking the gashes she had made on the arms earlier, and they faded at her touch. Turning the hand over, she passed her hand over the flame-shaped burn on Vivi's palm, and that began to fade as well. Dropping Vivi's arms, she placed her hands over Vivi's abdomen, and paused as the girl's soul grabbed onto her.

"No." Vivi's eyes were wide. "No, please not… not that."

Callie turned to her, regarding her strangely. "Your ancestress will never return. She will never again claim you or a descendant."

"Please, I can't… I can't risk it." Vivi's grip on Calli's arm tightened in fear. "I can't, if there's even a chance, the tiniest chance, I can't."

Callie's expression softened, and she took Vivi's spirit into her arms. "Very well. As you wish." She lowered Vivi's spirit back into her body. "Live again, child. Your life is yours now."

Bubbles rose from the mouth and Lewis lifted her from the water swiftly as she began to choke on the water. She coughed, spluttering and clinging to Lewis, turning her head back and forth wildly. "What… I…" She stopped, looking up at Lewis. He assumed human appearance, staring down at her like he couldn't believe she was really there.

"You…"

He raised a trembling hand to her face, brushing her hair back.

"...big…. mush brained…."

He blinked, confused.

"...sack...of… dolphin tails… what in… blue blazes were you… thinking… taking my memories… you dog-eared paperback dimestore novel reading trucker-" Her rant was abruptly cut off as Lewis pressed a kiss to her lips, and then her cheek and her nose and her forehead and her eyelids and back to her lips. She laughed through the kisses, a chokey sobby kind of laugh, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back. "I told you I'd have to really give it to you when I had more time."

From the shore, Arthur slumped back to the ground, exhausted, but relieved. They'd done it, they'd gotten Vivi back, and now he felt every bruise and every moment of adrenaline fueled panic and every cut. He closed his eyes just for a moment, then opened them again as he heard frantic sloshing.

"You!" Vivi was hollering, wading frantically out of the waters. "Squire!" She staggered over, falling to her knees at his side and grabbing him by the shoulders, her eyes wide. She splashed and dripped water all over him as she demanded, "Squire, talk to me, did she hurt you? Did she do anything? I swear to Pluto if she laid a hand on you I'll, I'll…"

He smiled, vision blurring with exhaustion as he gazed up at her. "I'm okay Vivi."

Her fingers dug into his shoulders. "Whatever she did… I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything… I…"

"I get it." He said softly. "I really do Viv. You should know."

She pulled him into a tight hug. "Yeah Squire. I get it, for reals now."

Lewis drifted over, pulling them both into a large, warm embrace.

"So, Arthur, is this your Kingdom?" Callie regarded them from just above the lake, twisting her tail thoughtfully.

Arthur's chuckle came out a little cracked as he responded, "Yeah, I g-guess so. It's little, and it's broken, but it's good."

Mystery lay down tiredly, a worn smile on his snout.

"C-can you help Mystery?" Arthur asked hopefully.

Callie lifted her head, arms crisscrossing each other. "I will do many things, Arthur, but do not require that I touch a dark spirit in aid."

Mystery sighed, grumbling. "There is much you don't understand about spirits, Arthur. You will have to learn. One of them is dark and light spirits have as little contact as possible. It is exceedingly painful for both under any circumstances. Under unfriendly circumstances, obviously the pain comes from attack. Under the extremely rare occurrences of brief alliances, friendly contact proved to be just as painful. I will heal."

"Yes he will. But now for you." She stretched out her arms again. "Heir of the King, come to me."

Arthur blinked, frozen until Vivi shoved him to his feet. "Go you big wet noodle!" She prodded, still dripping.

"You're the wet noodle!" He protested, stumbling into the water and tripping. Callie caught him as he fell, and he found himself turned over onto his back, staring up at her.

"Will you trust me?" She asked solemnly.

"Well, looks like you trusted me." His hand still gripped the sword, and he wondered if he'd be able to let go later. "So, yeah."

The ghost of a smile twitched the corner of her mouth before he was lowered beneath the surface of the water.

He held his breath, but her hands reached out, drawing him out of the lake. And suddenly he was looking down at his body, lying beneath the waters. Callie turned, taking his soul by the hands, and he noticed his arms were orange everywhere he could see, except at the very edges where they were purple.

"Lemme guess Lew," He said dryly, "My h-hair's just a little bit-"

"Purple." Lewis affirmed. "Good going Arthur."

"I'd b-b-better not be a neat freak when we get back-ck." Arthur groaned, then fell silent as Callie's hands prodded at his soul. He gasped as he felt her hands slip inside a crack that ran almost the length of his soul, and for a moment he was back in the cave, falling from the ceiling toward a rock floor with a thousand spikes all gleaming like black knives and waiting to pierce his body-

And then he was caught. Watery arms wrapped around him, arresting his motion downward, and water began to fill the cavern, washing the image away and out of his being. "There is much suffering here." Her voice was subdued. "In each of you, much suffering because of this place. And in your soul, a darkness from the one that stole you." He snapped out of the vision as she withdrew her hands, withdrawing from his soul an ebony stone. Forgive me," she murmured, hurling the stone to the farthest edge of the lake. "I mistook this darkness for part of your own soul. It was left there by another, not of your will."

She returned her attention to Arthur's soul, weaving together the crack with agile hands. As she finished, she nodded to herself, and turned to his body. She reached her hands toward the stump of his left arm, and paused in bewilderment as Arthur's soul grabbed ahold of her.

"Not… not that I'm not grateful, but I… I'm not ready…" his eyes darted to Lewis, and back to the stump of his arm. "There's a lot about that arm… not yet..." He trailed off helplessly.

She sighed deeply, shaking her head. "Strange this kingdom, desiring incomplete healings. Very well." She passed her hands along his body, remarking, "At the least I can restore your strength. None of the images or territories I see in your thoughts are familiar, and something tells me your home is a long ways away, and that we have a lengthy journey ahead of us."


	24. A Moment To Mourn

"And then I said, 'I guess you didn't know your daughter very well.'"

"BURN!" Vivi howled, falling back on the hotel bed, pounding it with a fist. "Oh Squire, I would have paid to see the look on her face when you said that, oh it must have been something."

Arthur had gotten his hands on some scrap metal and a few tools, and was working on the beginnings of a new prosthetic. It warmed him to hear Vivi laugh again, but he couldn't quite join in.

It had taken most of his savings to buy three plane tickets back to the states. Arthur, Mystery, and Vivi had taken the seats while Lewis opted for invisibility, still unwilling to leave Vivi's side. Arthur had returned the sword to Callie, instructing her to follow the vehicle he climbed into, and meet them on the other side when it stopped.

"You're gonna see a lot of really weird things, just find us on the other side and stay calm. The world changed a lot while you were lost." He'd instructed her, before leaving to board the plane. He'd crossed the crack between the extended hall and the plane without thinking. He'd felt no more than mild tension as it took off, and made a note to thank Callie. Mystery had immediately rolled over in his seat and gone to sleep, still healing himself under a mild illusion of perfect health. Vivi had plied Arthur with questions the entire trip, getting every bit of the story from him.

Mystery's illusions covered his and Vivi's return to the country, but triggered the local authorities. Vivi and Arthur had been carted downtown to answer questions about the house fire and the giant dog that had been reported rampaging through the town. Between Vivi's flustered outbursts and Arthur's jetlag and missing arm, the authorities had allowed them to collect themselves in a nearby hotel for a few days before issuing a statement.

"Mystery and Lewis gonna be back soon?" He asked absently. The two had left to edit the memories of all witnesses and authorities regarding the involvement of their gang. It had been a few hours, and he hadn't seen Callie yet. He hoped she hadn't gotten lost.

"I'm sure it won't be much longer. How's the arm going?"

"I need better parts." He sighed. "Everything else is lost, and my account's running dry."

"I can supplement… some…" She shifted, eyes dropping down. "At least a little. I called in, and they didn't take my vanishing very well."

"Fired?

"Yeah."

"Too bad, they lost the prettiest Barista this side of the globe." Lewis phased through the door, opening it to allow a black spotted dog to limp in. Arthur set his tools down, reaching over to scoop Mystery into his lap.

"Guessing you guys are worn out. Gonna shut down for a bit Lew?"

Lewis shook his head. "I'm good for a little longer, but maybe soon." He hovered over, taking a seat next to Vivi and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She smiled, squeezing him, and Arthur focused down on Mystery.

A tall, robed figure glided through the door, closing it behind. The hood dropped back, and the garment fell to the ground as Callie shook free of it. "Strange does not even begin to describe this land, Arthur, it is a most confusing place to find one human," She remarked. "But the demon dog was easy enough to track at least." She rested the sword against the wall and settled on the far corner of the bed, her tail draping over the edge.

Mystery growled slightly, and Callie's eyes narrowed. "I know you have a name, and I know what it is, Demon Dog."

"Calm down you two, we're all tired. Welcome to the United States Callie, we'll catch you up on things, promise. Or, we'll try." Arthur ran his hand along Mystery's back gently. He could feel scarring under the fur, but his wounds had all finally closed up. He rubbed just behind the dog's ears gently. "Look, Vivi, I know you're kind of the person we all banded around to lead, but I wanna suggest that maybe we should think about moving somewhere else. I don't think there's a lotta places that'll rent to me now, and I'm running out of funds fast. I know a couple places we could go where it might be easier on all of us. Still paranormal spikes to check out, but… I'd just like to get away from this city, yeah?"

"Where did you have in mind?" Lewis asked.

"I got a chance to check my email. Uncle Lance was worried sick, they contacted him as next of kin. Told him I was fine, but I know he'd take me to work in the shop. I could start rebuilding my finances and Viv, I'm sure you could find a job easy. It's a small town, they'd love a character like you."

Vivi was staring at him oddly. "I guess. I could get a college transfer, that doesn't sound too bad." She tilted her head, inspecting him. "Hey Squire, you okay?"

"I'm fine Vivi. There's just a lot to do." He continued stroking Mystery's ears as the dog sat on his lap and draped his head over Arthur's armless shoulder.

"Yeah, but I haven't seen you laugh or crack a joke since we got on the plane. I know it's been rough, but things will get back to normal, yeah?"

"Normal. Right." He winced at the bitter note in his voice. Silence followed his outburst, and he could feel his own words starting to build up at the back of his throat.

"Arthur, remember that whole not-talking-about-things and how we all get into huge trouble when any one of us does that?" Lewis prodded quietly. He slid down to the ground, crossing his legs and tapping a bony finger on Arthur's knee. "Come on. Out with it."

Arthur looked down at Lewis, over and Vivi, and back at Lewis, the words burning in his mouth.

"If it's about me, or Lewis and me, or Lewis, I'm sure we can take it Squire." Vivi assured him solemnly. "We'll work things out together, but we can't if you clam up."

Arthur closed his eyes, unable to look at either of them. "Can we just pretend a few things?" He asked, clutching Mystery all of a sudden. "Can we pretend for just a minute that this isn't one of the most screwed up family situations I know of that has Vivi and me related? Can we pretend for a second that Lewis isn't dead and that I didn't push him over the edge of a cliff because I was stuffing feelings for Vivi down hard and didn't say anything? Can we pretend for…." He swallowed hard, not sure how either of them would take this. "Can we pretend for a second that it was me dating Vivi, because sometimes I thought about it a lot, and I thought about what it would be like to have a kid with her." His shoulders hunched, and he was sure any second he'd feel flames curling across his skin. "And not just cause of the obvious, I mean yeah would be nice, but 'cause I love her, and she'd make an amazing Mom, and maybe… just maybe I'd make a good Dad. And maybe I used to think about what that kid would look like, and she was a little girl, and she was the most precious, amazing person."

He took a deep breath, then plunged ahead. "And then we can stop pretending, cause Vivi dated Lewis. I did stuff it, and because of that Lewis is dead. And Vivi and I are related and I would never, ever, ever, EVER come near you like that Vivi, not just cause of the screwed up thing with Morgause and the King, but also because it's Lew, it's always been Lew for you and that's a good thing. But can we just take a second because a really cruel witch dragged up the image of that little girl, asking me what it would be like if we made her together and if it would hurt me for my daughter to be the next one taken."

He heard Vivi sniff, but he couldn't stop. "Cause I'd like to pretend. I'd like to pretend really hard that I didn't see her running from something in terror, because I know that in that scenario I wouldn't be alive to protect her from the evil witch coming to get her. I'd like to pretend I didn't see her running and crying 'Daddy!' And I'd like to pretend that I can let go of it, because honest I've been trying to let go of a lot of things lately but it's really hard and I don't know how and everything is just so screwed up!"

He could hear Vivi's breathing hiccuping softly. He kept his eyes shut, unwilling to see their faces. He focused on the feel and smell of Mystery's fur, all but burying his face in it as he'd done for years whenever he couldn't face up to things.

Mystery was pulled away from him, and he stubbornly kept his face down. A hot, bony hand pulled his chin up, and he finally stared at Lewis. The skeleton regarded him wearily.

"Yeah, Arthur. It's all screwed up. I don't think there's one drop of normalcy left in our group anymore. And it's really weird, okay? Yes, Vivi's my girlfriend, and hearing this makes me a little steamed. But you're my best friend," he raised his hands helplessly. "What am I gonna do, fry you? And it's not like you've ever acted on this. Every time I see you, I see exactly how much you're trying to make it like it used to be between the three of us. Or how I thought it was." His hand came down on Arthur's shoulder firmly. "We'll work it out. Just keep talking. BOTH of you." His head swiveled backwards, drilling Vivi with a stare. "No more of this hiding secrets business."

Vivi's head dipped lower and she nodded, wiping her eyes and grabbing a tissue to blow her nose. "Look, Squire," Her voice came out in a croak and she cleared her throat before continuing, "I'm… I…" her voice faded for a moment, and she took a shaky breath. "You really think I would have been a good mother?" She asked, before grabbing a pillow and burying her face in it to muffle herself.

Lewis drifted back to her side, stroking her hair gently and saying nothing. Arthur waited as well, and when Vivi could breathe again, she continued. "I get it, Squire. I used to think about what my kids might look like all the time. Even after I… even after that, I used to imagine it. I get it hurts. You know what I'd do?"

"What?" He asked, his voice threadbare.

"I'd write them a letter. I'd say what I thought they might be like, and say I was sorry they couldn't be, and what I wish I could have said to them or done with them. Then I'd seal it up in a little envelope and…" She swallowed hard, staring down at her legs. "I used to bury them outside my window, under a little tree. But when I moved out and got my apartment, I buried them in the park. And when Lewis died, I… I buried some letters…" Her voice trailed off.

Lewis pulled Vivi into his lap, tucking her head under his chin and holding her.

"Maybe," she managed, "Maybe that'd help you Squire. And who knows." She managed a faint smile. "You're not a bad looking sap y'know. I bet you'll find someone, no problem. And you'll be a great Dad someday, I just know it."


	25. The Letter

(if it is hard to read)

Dear Ginny,

It's kind of weird writing this, but Vivi's pretty smart and usually knows what she's talking about. I guess I wanted to do this now, since we're all moving tomorrow, and some things are easier to make your mind let go of if you leave them behind physically too. Or something.

It's gonna be a little weird with Callie around, haven't ever had a new addition to the group before. It's always been Vivi, me, Lew, Mystery. And Mystery isn't really thrilled with the situation, I'm gonna have to figure out how to get those two to co-exist. Callie's a little stuck up sometimes, and she and Mystery are already drawing battle lines over who gets to teach me swordsmanship and who gets to teach Vivi about her books. Isn't that cool? Vivi wants to follow in the footsteps of her great-great-great-great(etc) Aunt, Morgan LeFay, now that she doesn't have to worry about Morgause anymore.

We've been talking a lot with Uncle Lance. He'll put us up for a couple of months 'til we can find a place. He only really knows about me and Mystery and Vivi coming though. There's not really gonna be any getting around Callie and Lewis, I'm just gonna have to explain and hope he doesn't short circuit.

Finances are gonna be tight for awhile too, so we'll find a small house together once we have a decent deposit fund going. Lew seems to be getting over his shyness, probably revisiting some old memories, and he's moved care of his locket over to Vivi. It's probably for the best. I've already got a sword and a kitsune to look after.

Look at me. I still can't write what this letter's really supposed to be about. Guess I still have to work on that whole side of me. Gotta be better at facing things. Starting by not writing everything except what this letter is about.

I don't know what you really would have been like, Ginny. I know what I imagined you like. You're smart and funny and sweet like Vivi, but any kid that sticks their nose up at you would get some awful bloody nose 'cause Lewis would make sure you knew how to stand up for yourself. Me… I'd take you into the shop. Show you how to build things, anything you want. If I didn't know how, I'd figure it out so we could make it together. Maybe Callie would let me teach you how to hold her, I mean, if you were my kid she can't complain right? And Mystery would just love you, I'm sure of it.

I'm sorry.

It's stupid to say something like I'm sorry you can't exist, but I am. Cause for a second I saw you, and that made it worse. Maybe it's not so bad for you. I don't know how it works, not-ever-having-existed-except-in-potential-futures. But wherever you are, if you're anywhere, I hope you're happy and never ever scared.

Goodbye Ginny.

Love,

Arthur.

Dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, end of Worse Than Death. The next story I will also put up as a whole, all at once, so keep an eye out for Louder Than Words.


End file.
